Substitute Affections
by Akane-Rei
Summary: To be married out of duty, can two people find a way to bridge the abyss before them? Byakuya x Rukia.
1. For the Family

Author's note: a Byakuya x Rukia multi-chapter fanfiction. At least, that's how it's going to end. As for in between, well, that's different.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

**_Part One - The Betrothal _**

_Chapter One: For the Family_

**_

* * *

_**

"You seem to believe that she will be amenable to this plan," he said stoically at his family advisors, his eyes narrowing.

"And why shouldn't she?" the old man Sanada spoke up. "There are worse things than this honor we bestow upon her. The Kuchiki clan is one of the noble houses of Seireitei. She could hardly receive a better offer."

Byakuya leaned back against his chair and looked at the view of the garden outside and thought of the woman in question.

When they had found her, there was no one more surprised than him.

They had searched for years, him and his wife.

He remembered those endless nights when he laid awake listening to her tears. At first he had tried to comfort her, his heart torn at the sound of her sobs. But she had turned him away and he had seen her shame at being caught in what she considered such weak behavior. No matter how many times he had assured her, he knew that she had always carried a sense of inadequacy at being part of the Kuchiki clan. And every time he had tried to comfort her, he seemed to make things worse. Make her worse. And so some nights, he had pretended not to notice when she left their room. He had turned a blind eye towards the nights she spent in their private gardens, returning to bed only when her tears have been exhausted and her body was too weak to do anything more but sleep.

He remembered how her guilt had consumed her in the end. How the laughing woman he fell in love with and broke the rules for had withered away into nothingness. Already weakened by sickness, her will to live seemed to have vanished as years passed with no leads and no hope of finding her sister. In the end, despite the fact that she had asked him to continue looking for her, he knew that she herself didn't really believe he would find her sister. Truth be told, at that point, neither did he. But he had made the promise to continue looking and he had done so half-heartedly, not believing for one moment that success would be within his reach.

He remembered that it was early in the morning, almost a year since the death of his wife, when they had found her. The Academy had let him know about a female student from Rukongai whose background matched his queries and had scored exceptionally well in the first round of examinations. It hadn't taken long for him to ascertain that the child, Rukia, was Hisana's kin.

The first time he saw her, she and her friend had been running towards the Academy. They were barely making it in time to take the second round of tests given to prospective students. He recalled the instinctive step he took forward as he called out, "Hisana," softly in the wind. For a moment, he had thought she heard him when she looked up to the high windows of the Academy. He had hidden himself in the shadows, cursing himself for all kinds of fool.

That woman, of course, had not been Hisana.

But the resemblance had been startling. The reports he'd received made mention of it, but he hadn't expected it to be quite so close. Even from high up, he had been able to make out the features of Hisana etched on the very much alive Rukia.

And she had scored well in the first round of examinations. And all the rounds after.

Knowing what that meant, he had used his influence and pleaded his case to the board. He'd made a promise to Hisana that he would protect her little sister. So, he'd asked the Board to take Rukia out of the advanced Class 1. That class had more training exercises in the human world than any of the other classes.

He would have requested they deny her admission altogether, but he had been afraid that it would send her straight back to Rukongai. And he couldn't lose her then. Not when she was that close.

During her first year in the Academy, he had worked hard to obtain all the appropriate approvals for her adoption to the Kuchiki clan. He had overridden all objections with his influence as head of the Kuchiki family. Everything had been in order by the time he and his family approached her.

Pausing from his trip down memory lane, he looked up at the trio that served as his advisors over the years.

"We believe that under the circumstances, this is the best course of action for the family," Sanada claimed. "Unless you have any objections?"

He gritted his teeth.

What could he possibly say to that?

"Please set up a meeting with Rukia this afternoon, then," he replied, his voice betraying none of the conflicting thoughts in his head.

* * *

It's been years. 

_Well then, we shall be awaiting a favorable response._

She remembered when she first heard those words. Back in the Shinigami Academy. She remembered the way her body had felt numb while her heart raced at all the implications and the possibilities. To be part of a family, to belong to a family…wasn't that what she had always wanted? They had been granting her deepest most heartfelt wish. Wasn't she supposed to be happier, more joyful? And yet, as they walked passed her to leave the room, she remembered not only the heavy weight that settled in her chest but also the immense, immense relief at being interrupted.

Good ol' Renji. That guy did have a knack at being present during her life-changing moments.

She wondered what he'd say now?

Would she find herself congratulated heartily like he did before? Would he pat her head and tell her how lucky she was that such a chance had landed in her lap?

She smiled sadly, remembering that time at the Shinigami Academy.

Renji always did do what he thought was best for her.

And despite all the years that had passed, nothing had changed in that regards.

She gave herself a mental shake before quickening her footsteps. Ichigo and Renji might be wondering where she was at this time. She was supposed to meet them at Renji's place an hour ago and she's late! Knowing those two, however, she wasn't even sure if they would have even noticed. Even to this date, the bickering between them had not alleviated. One would think that after so many years, they would have either matured or gotten the constant rivalry to be the best Shinigami out of their system.

But no.

She had a feeling that Renji and Ichigo would always be fighting.

It was beautiful, really, because she knew that beneath all the loud boasts, those two had a mutual respect for each other. It was partly their rivalry that spurs them to try that much harder and train that much more. In essence, they partially owed each other their accomplishments.

She sighed.

Had it really been that long ago?

She remembered when her foremost concern had been her death sentence and the safety of the ryoka who had been trying to save her. She remembered a time when Ichigo, Inoue, Chad, and Ishida were _human_ instead of Shinigami.

She looked up in the sky.

Had it been that long ago when they had saved her from execution? Had it been that long ago when they had battled Aizen and the Arrancars?

So many things were changing then. Even Soul Society was changing. It was only these past few years that everything had settled down again.

And now, as she ran down the streets of Seireitei, she wondered what her friends would say when she told them the news.

_Well then, we shall be awaiting a favorable response._

Who would have thought that she would hear those words again from the same people who've uttered them the first time 'round?

* * *

Byakuya watched the retreating form of Rukia from the window of his office before turning back to the stack of paperwork on his desk. He was behind on his work today. Despite this, however, he knew that attempting to catch up tonight would be futile. 

His mind was elsewhere and no amount of discipline was going to help drag it back to something as mundane as paperwork. He stood up and walked towards the door that led to the gardens. He wondered what Hisana would have thought of this latest development. He had a feeling that when his wife had asked him to look out for her sister, this situation had not quite entered her mind.

At least, he didn't think it had.

He wondered…he wondered if she objected. Not of the actual situation itself, but rather the way it was carried out. The way he had allowed it to be carried out. For he knew that one word from him, one objection from him, would have silenced the matter altogether before it even had a chance to reach Rukia's ears.

And during the meeting, he knew that one look from him would have moderated Sanada's heavy-handed tactics and spared Rukia any feelings of guilt or obligation.

But he had done what they said was best for the family. And in truth, he had been apathetic towards the whole incident. Not towards Rukia, of course. Rukia was someone he would always have the need to protect. But he was apathetic towards his advisors' suggestions.

He'd already married once for love.

He did not expect to do so again.

* * *

Rukia stopped abruptly in front of Renji's door. From outside, she could hear Ichigo and Renji's voices loud and clear. She smiled. In the ever changing world, it was sometimes nice to know that there were things that would always remain the same. 

And her friends, her two best friends, were one of the few constants in her life.

She was about to raise her knuckles and knock at the door when it abruptly opened to reveal Ichigo.

"Rukia," he scowled at her. "You're late. You better have a damn good reason because I've had to listen to this jackass all night."

"I heard that!" came Renji's voice above his head.

Rukia grinned.

"You were meant to, you idiot!" Ichigo yelled back, as he opened the door wider to let her in.

She looked at the jugs of sake that littered the table of the living room. "Did you save some for me?" she asked ruefully. "I think I might need it tonight."

It had become a habit more than anything else when the three of them found themselves free. As three vice-captains in the Gotei 13, their duties had always kept them busy most days and nights. And so, it was a rare occasion when the three of them were off duty at the same time. In those nights, they found themselves in each other's company more often than not.

"Oh?" Renji commented, raising one tattooed brow. "Does it have anything to do with why you're late?" he asked speculatively as he handed her a cup.

"Yeah," Ichigo returned. "What kept you? Idiot over here almost went out and assembled a search party."

"You're one to talk," exclaimed Renji. "It's not like Rukia to be late," he mimicked in a false falsetto. "What if something's happened?" he continued.

"It's nice to know you guys care," she told them before grinning and drinking the sake without preliminaries, her mind still racing from her last meeting. She stared at her two companions, inwardly grimacing at how twisted the fates could be. There was a time long ago when she had thought herself in love with these two at one point or another.

Not too long ago, when Ichigo had still been human, she had fancied herself in love with him. But she had let that go, knowing the futility of a relationship between a human and a Shinigami. She had never told him of her feelings, which was just as well since he never once hinted that he might have felt the same. In the years she'd known him, he was most passionate about her only when it came to protecting her.

That his protective feelings might have stemmed from a deeper or more personal reason was something that never occurred to her.

As for Renji, well now that was water under the bridge. Years, decades even, before she met Ichigo, she had thought that Renji was the only one for her. As two strays from Rukongai, they had clung to each other in the beginning. But in the end, the different paths they took drove them apart and it wasn't soon afterwards that he became more of an acquaintance rather than a friend. It wasn't until after she met Ichigo that she and Renji resumed their friendship. And during those times, all she received from him were his protective instincts.

That those instincts might have stemmed from something other than brotherly affection was something that never occurred to her.

In the end, she was just happy that she had these two in friendship.

And now, fate had deemed that the only two people she had ever considered marrying at one point or the other would be the two people she would first bring her news to.

She took a deep breath.

"It appears that I'm to be married," she stated quietly, right before she took the sake flask from Renji's now nerveless fingers, downed the rest of its contents and tried not to think of that meeting with the Kuchiki clan.

To no avail.

* * *

_FLASHBACK_

_The scene that afternoon in her meeting with the Kuchiki clan, her clan, would have been comical had it not been for the fact that it was happening to her. _

"_Well then, we shall be awaiting a favorable response," Sanada commented, looking at her with those same beady eyes she remembered from before. "Of course, there really isn't much to consider, is there?"_

_She gaped at him then, still unsure if she heard correctly. She quickly looked at her adoptive brother for confirmation._

"_I realize that this may come as a surprise," he said impassively._

_A surprise?_

_To be asked…no, not really asked, but told…to be told to marry the Kuchiki heir was a surprise?_

_What a veritable understatement!_

"_I ask that you give this your utmost consideration," Nii-sama continued._

"_What is there to consider?" Sanada demanded. "This is a great honor! After all the Kuchiki had done for you, it is the least you can do to help strengthen the family."_

_She looked at them in askance._

"_Is…is this what Nii-sama wants?" she asked quietly, not knowing what else to say._

"_It is for Kuchiki," he replied. "As Sanada has stated, it is time that I took a wife." He paused. "In these past years, you have distinguished yourself well, Rukia. It would be an honor to the Kuchiki clan as well for this union to take place." He looked up at Sanada before looking back at her. "But it is your choice."_

"_Choice?" Sanada's voice rang. "What choice?" He glared at her. "You would refuse this honor? You would deny the Kuchiki family?"_

_Her mouth opened but no words came out._

"_Rukia," her brother's voice drifted to her. "You don't have to make your decision now."_

"_Is this what Nii-sama wants?" she asked again, not knowing what else to say. Her mind was at a whirl. She couldn't, just couldn't imagine that this is what Byakuya-nii-sama would want._

_He looked away. "I have no objection to Sanada's proposition," he stated in an emotionless voice. _

"_But…but do you not wish someone else to take to wife?" she asked._

"_I have no interest in anyone else at this time," he informed her. "As you are not of blood relation and are already a Kuchiki, it was deemed that you might be the best choice given that I have no preference in the matter."_

_She winced at the coldness of his reasoning._

"_Rukia Kuchiki," Sanada's voice rang._

_She looked up, making note on the emphasis he placed on the 'Kuchiki' part of her name. _

"_Do you really need the time to consider this?" he asked. _

_And she winced again. _

_Because the truth was, like her brother, she would do her duty to the family. And if her family decreed that she was to be married, then really, what choice did she have?_

"_Of course not," her voice came quietly. "As you have said, you honor me with this offer." She looked up at her brother. "Nii-sama," she spoke._

"_If that is your decision," her brother said softly, "then it would be best if you begin calling me something else entirely."_

_She nodded, blushing. "Of course," she said quickly. "Byakuya-sama," she finished off._

"_Well then," Sanada coughed. "I will begin the preparations." He motioned to the rest of the Kuchiki advisors. "I will leave the two of you to discus this further if that is your wish."_

_She bowed her head as they left and let the silence permeate the room at their departure. From the corner of her eye, she could see her brother looking out the window as if lost in thought._

"_Nii—" she bit her lip. "Byakuya-sama," she finally said, unable to bear the silence. "Is this…is this alright?" she asked._

_He turned to look at her, his eyes as unreadable as they once were when she first met him._

"_As I have mentioned before, I have no objection to the union," he replied. "And judging by your response, neither did you." He gazed at her impassively. "That is correct, yes?"_

_What could she say?_

_She nodded._

"_Then there is nothing more to say," he stated before turning back to look outside. "You may take your leave. Your friends would be waiting for you by now."_

_She glanced up, startled._

"_I know your schedule, Rukia," he told her, as if he could read her unasked question. "It is perhaps best," he began, before hesitating slightly, "that you told your friends of this news first before it reaches their ears through gossip."_

_Again she nodded._

"_I shall take my leave then," she said respectfully, before bowing and exiting the room._

_

* * *

_To be continued.


	2. Bad News Travel Fast

Author's note: a Byakuya x Rukia fanfiction.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

**_Part One: The Betrothal _**

_Chapter Two: Bad News Travel Fast_

**_

* * *

_**

Renji spewed.

Which was a waste of good sake, if anyone bothered to ask her. At this point, however, she was just glad she hadn't been on the receiving end.

Ichigo laughed.

She didn't think he took her seriously and his next words proved her right.

"Good one, Rukia," he told her with a smirk.

She sighed and nursed another flask of sake. She wasn't really sure, but this stuff seemed to have more of a kick that usual. Of course, it might have more to do with the fact that she hadn't had else anything all day. She took another sip. Or the unusually fast rate at whichh she had been imbibing the stuff. She shrugged.

Who knew?

"You're getting what?" Renji finally found his voice after much coughing and clearing of throat.

She looked at him with a calm that belied the inner workings of her mind. "Married," she repeated. "I'm getting married." She took another sip and felt the warm liquid lick its way through her system.

Beside her, Ichigo was still laughing.

Briefly she wondered how many of these empty flasks he had been responsible for. It could explain his unusual sense of humor.

"You really got him going, Rukia," the orange-haired Shinigami guffawed.

"Yes, well that was my goal," she said sardonically. Of all the things she expected from her friends, outright hilarity wasn't quite on the top of her list. She wondered when it would dawn on the young Shinigami that she was entirely serious.

Renji, however, seemed to finally noticed Ichigo's levity. "What are you laughing at, you ass?" he exclaimed. "Didn't you just hear her?"

"Aww come on, Renji!" he chortled. "Can't you take a joke? _Of course_ Rukia's not getting married. Think about it. Have you seen or even heard of her seeing anybody?"

Renji scratched his head. "Now that you mention it—"

Ichigo looked back at her. "That was real good Rukia," he told her again. "You really got this idiot over here." He grinned. "Most laugh I've had all night."

"Glad to be of service," she replied flatly. She wasn't quite sure whether she should take offense of his words. She _had _gone out before. Just not in awhile. Okay, maybe not in a few years, but who's counting? She leaned her head back towards the futon behind her and rested her eyes for a bit. She needed to think and think clearly. Marriage was a life-altering step. Wasn't it? Surely she should have given it much more thought than she had so far.

"Stop calling me an idiot, ass!" Renji's voice interrupted her thoughts.

She sighed. Perhaps she should reiterate what she just said. Looking at her two friends, however, she wasn't quite sure how much good it would do.

"Renji," Ichigo began in loftily, "you're going to have to start thinking things through. Rukia here is a great actress who likes to pull our proverbial leg. You have to take what she says with a grain of salt."

"Hah," she muttered under her breath.

"I mean, I think we're the guys she's spent the most time with," Ichigo expounds. "If she were getting married, we would have had adequate warning, Stupid." He grinned. "Unless of course, she marries Byakuya," he added, before going through another gale of laughter at the thought.

This time Renji joined him, that stupid ass.

Her eyes narrowed.

"As a matter of fact," she said tersely, attempting to interrupt their newfound camaraderie, "I am."

Both of them paused to look at her with wide eyes, before falling down on themselves with peals of laughter. And for the second time that evening, she wasn't sure whether to be offended or amused. From an outsider's standpoint, she supposed that it was quite…incongruent. The thought of her and _Nii-sama _was…well…ludicrous. Rationally, she could even understand her friends' reactions.

Except she wasn't feeling rational.

Maybe coming straight here from her meeting with the Kuchiki clan wasn't such a great idea.

She stared at the sake flask in front of her.

Maybe drinking so much in such a short amount of time wasn't such a great idea either.

And their laughter wasn't helping.

How could they be laughing when inside she felt—

"Stop it," she said softly, her hands tightening around the flask. Their laughter was making it hard for her to think.

And she had to think. She had to think about this.

Not knowing if they heard her, she looked down on them as they sat gasping on the floor. Laughing. At her. At her upcoming marriage. At the very idea of her marriage.

She wiped her suddenly dry mouth.

She had just agreed to marry Nii-sama and the effects of her decision had only started to make itself felt. Her hands shaking, she placed the sake flask on the table and stared at her friends.

If her friends could hardly believe her, what would the rest of Soul Society think?

"Stop it!" she said again, louder this time. "Stop laughing."

What had she gotten herself into? Her whole body started to shake and she stared at her now clammy hands. She closed her eyes and leaned forward against the table. Things were getting a little bit…wobbly.

"Ne, Rukia, are you alright?" Ichigo's voice penetrated her senses.

She opened her eyes to see the blurry faces of her friends. "I think," she began softly, licking her lips, "I think I'm going into shock," she told them as calmly as she could.

"Damn, Rukia!" Ichigo's voice came in low, "Have you eaten anything at all today?"

She shook her head, feeling like the whole room was shaking with it. "Didn't have time," she slurred. "Had an important appointment with Nii-sama this afternoon." She shook her head again in a vain attempt to clear it. "We're to be married. Have I mentioned that, yet?" she asked before fainting dead to the world.

* * *

Silence greeted her last statement before the two Shinigamis were galvanized into action. Lifting the sleeping girl up, Ichigo motioned for Renji to clear the futon where he then placed Rukia to rest. He felt her forehead and listened to her even breathing. 

"I think she's fine," he said curtly. "Just exhausted." He cursed. "How many of these flasks did she get to?"

Renji eyed the table before responding, "Four, I think."

"That's…that's a lot for her," Ichigo observed. "Usually, she doesn't even finish one."

"Ah," Renji agreed.

"Maybe we should call Hanatarou, just in case," he said, scratching his head.

"Ah," Renji concurred.

But no one moved. Instead, they both stared at Rukia as her last words replayed in both their heads.

"Do you think—" Renji began.

"No!" he denied quickly, vehemently. "No, I don't think," he repeated.

"You don't even know what I was going to ask," Renji protested.

"Yes, I did," he replied. "And the answer is still 'No!'"

He could feel Renji's eyes boring at him, but he refused to meet his gaze. He felt his friend move away before he looked up.

"I'm going to get Hanatarou," he told him. "Stay with Rukia 'til I get back."

And with that he was gone.

Leaving Ichigo alone with his thoughts and the sleeping girl.

_Had an appointment with Nii-sama this afternoon_. _We're to be married. Have I mentioned that, yet?_

He tried to block the words that so casually rolled off her tongue.

_We're to be married. Have I mentioned that, yet?_

"Rukia," he whispered softly. "This better be one of your damn jokes."

* * *

Renji flew through the rooftops of Seireitei, his mind constantly replaying the scene in his apartment. No matter what Ichigo said, he had this choking feeling— 

He swallowed the thought. He wasn't going to think about it. In fact, he refused to think about it. Not now. Not until he was sure.

He clenched his fists.

_It appears that I'm to be married._

He could still hear her voice. He could still remember the momentary surprise followed by the utter, utter panic that took hold of him once her words registered in his brain. In all the years he had known her, hadn't he always dreaded those words coming out of her mouth? Wasn't that the reason why he had never even considered the fact that she might have been joking?

And Ichigo had been right about one thing. If Rukia had been seeing anyone, they would have both known. What's more, he had a pretty good feeling that they would have both done something about it. Nothing drastic, mind you. Just kick the guy around a little. And let him know his place. Because…because…Rukia belonged to them.

For now.

There was an unspoken agreement between him and Ichigo. While both of them were aware of each other's feelings for a certain 13th division lieutenant, both had also been aware of the precarious nature of their relationship with each other. These past few years, they had all enjoyed a peaceful camaraderie punctuated by good-natured rivalry. And in the middle of it all was Rukia.

Rukia, who saw them both as friends. Rukia, whom they both dared not approach with anything else for fear of ruining the delicate balance between the three of them.

He clenched his jaw.

If his captain thought—

He landed outside Hanatarou's doorstep and proceeded to knock impatiently.

"Hai!" he could hear the fourth division Shinigami call out inside before the door was opened. "Abarai-san!" he exclaimed. "Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked.

"I need you to go to my place," he replied tersely, impatiently. "Take a quick look at Rukia."

"Eh?" he gasped. "Is there something wrong with Rukia-san?" he asked, concern etched on his features.

And for a moment, Renji wondered bitterly if Hanatarou was another one of Rukia's conquests.

"Nothing to worry about," he snapped, before attempting to soften his tone. They did need the him, after all. "But check just in case."

"Of course, Abarai-san!" the medic replied eagerly. "I'll head over there right now." He paused, obviously noting Renji's lack of movement. "Aren't you going with me, Abarai-san?" he asked, perplexed.

"I'll follow you in a bit," he replied, looking at the dark horizon. "There's something I need to check out first." And with that, he left the medic and headed for the noble house of Kuchiki.

* * *

Darkness had fallen when he found his lieutenant in his office. The servants had informed him of his presence just after dinner. To say that he was surprised would have been a lie. He had known the exact moment Renji had stepped foot in Kuchiki property. He had been expecting it the moment Rukia had agreed to the marriage. 

And now, as he stared at the mutinous eyes of his second-in-command, he wondered how best to handle a wounded dog.

"Captain Kuchiki," he was greeted once he entered his office.

"Was there something you needed, Renji?" he asked, knowing full well what the Shinigami came for.

He waited as Renji seemed to struggle for words.

"I…I wanted to—" he paused, before looking up at him searchingly. There was an air of uncertainty in his address.

Byakuya looked at him closely. Surely Rukia had informed Renji already of what was to take place? Hazarding a guess, he commented, "I see you must have spoken to Rukia." After the slightest of pauses, he continued, "Where is my betrothed, by the way? I had thought her with you and Kurosaki."

He watched as his lieutenant's eyes widened at his words.

He tsked. "Surely Rukia has told you by now," he stated, strangely bothered by the possibility that she hadn't.

"She…she did," Renji replied.

Although from his tone, Byakuya surmised that his lieutenant might have had trouble believing her.

"I…I've come to relay my…congratulations," Renji bit out.

"My thanks then," he said, eying the obviously surprised man by his side. "For that matter, where is Rukia?" he asked curiously.

"She's with Ichigo," came the abrupt answer. "I just stopped by here on my way back from picking something up."

"I see," responded. And he did. His vice-captain had come here to confirm something. "Well then, if there is no other business," his voice drifted.

"None, sir," he replied. "I'll be on my way."

Byakuya nodded, dismissing him. He watched as Renji practically ran out of his office.

Perhaps he should have been kinder. He knew his lieutenant, knew of his feelings for his adopted sister. He had known since that day at the Shinigami Academy when he had interrupted the meeting between Rukia and the Kuchiki clan. He had made it his business to know all there was to know about Renji Abarai when he took him as his vice-captain. He even knew Renji's deep-seated desire to surpass him in every way even before Renji himself informed him of that goal. In the end, he even knew why Renji had been so determined, so one-track minded when it came to his training.

And it all had to do with Rukia.

* * *

Renji ran as fast as his legs would take him away from the Kuchiki House. In his mind, he could hear his captain's word echoing loudly and repeatedly. 

_Where is my betrothed?_

Damn him, and damn Rukia!

_We're to be married. _

He tried to block the words but they kept pounding into his brain. What had possessed her to agree to a marriage with that cold fish?

Thinking back to Rukia's condition when he left her, his anger rose up full force. Was that why she had drunk the sake like there was no tomorrow? Was the thought of her upcoming nuptials that abhorrent to her? If so, then why did she agree to it?

What the hell had she been thinking? It was one thing to get adopted to the family, but quite another to marry into it.

He cursed and cursed and cursed under his breath, trying to release the pent-up frustration he had felt at having to calmly listen to Captain Kuchiki ask for his betrothed. If it wasn't for the years of discipline drilled into him by the sixth division captain himself, he was afraid he would have actually rammed his fist against that smug face instead of relaying his stilted congratulations.

He paused from his run, breathing deeply and looking up to the sky.

He had just congratulated his captain on his upcoming marriage. He had just _congratulated _the man responsible for taking Rukia away not once, but twice! Gods, he was such a fool! He smashed his fist against the nearest wall. He felt the pain shoot up from his knuckles and up his arm and watched as the blood dripped silently onto the street.

* * *

Ichigo blinked in surprise when he saw not only Hanatarou but Inoue as well standing by the door. 

"Ichigo-san," bowed the short Shinigami weakly. "I passed by Orihime-san on the way here and she insisted on joining us."

"Kurosaki-kun!" greeted Inoue. "I heard that Kuchiki-san might be in trouble so I thought I'd come to help!"

Ichigo winced. Rukia was going to kill him for this.

"Heh," he muttered, scratching his head. There was going to be so much hell to pay if this got around. "I'm pretty sure we don't need two seated officers from the fourth division for this," he told them as he tried to block them from entering the premises.

"Eh?" Inoue's voice rose up a notch.

"Abarai-san mentioned that Rukia-san needed me to check on her," protested Hanatarou.

He closed his eyes from the headache that he could see this would bring. "Alright," he said, "but if word of this got out, I'm coming after both of you."

"Eh?"

He dragged both shinigamis inside and mentally kicked himself for not putting away all the sake flasks. He could almost _see_ the thoughts that danced between the two medics' heads as they both faced him.

"Ne, Kurosaki-kun," Inoue looked at him accusingly. "Did you and Abarai-kun get Kuchiki-san _drunk_?"

"Hey!" he protested indignantly. "I didn't force the sake down her throat! She did this all on her own!"

Inoue approached him like a vengeful mother hen and pointed a finger at his chest. "Kuchiki-san is not the type to get drunk," she declared. She frowned. "What have you and Abarai-kun done now that she had thought to drown her sorrows on alcohol?"

"Nothing!" he roared defensively. "I tell you she did this on her own."

"Ano," came Hanatarou's voice.

He looked at the said medic, surprised to find that he had already began to detoxify the passed out Rukia.

"If we could just talk more softly," Hanatarou said quietly. "Rukia-san might have a headache when she wakes up."

Giving him one last glare, Inoue walked towards Rukia and leaned down to help. "What happened here?" she finally deigned to ask.

Ichigo shrugged. "I don't know. One minute she was talking some nonsense and the next thing we knew, she'd fainted."

"It is probably a combination of the fast intake of the alcohol, Rukia-san's slight frame, and the fact that she hasn't had dinner that resulted in this," Hanatarou said matter-of-factly.

"You can tell she hasn't had dinner?" asked Ichigo.

But Inoue grabbed at one tidbit of information. "Talking nonsense?" she asked. "What nonsense?"

"Che," he muttered. "Just nonsense," he said again. Because that's all they were. Nonsense, right?

Inoue looked at him curiously.

"It's nonsense, I tell you," he said. "Rukia was just trying to get a rise of out Renji." He forced a laugh. "And of course that fool fell for it."

"Oh?" her head tilted. "What did Kuchiki-san say?" she asked.

"Some idiotic thing about getting married," he told them. Maybe if he voiced it out loud, the utter ridiculousness of it all would be more obvious. "To Byakuya no less," he added. "Can you imagine?"

Inoue frowned.

"Actually," Hanatarou's voice came through.

He looked at the medic.

"Never mind," he finished off, shaking his head, before standing up.

"Hanatarou-kun?" Inoue prompted. "What were you about to say?"

"Eh-heh-heh," he laughed awkwardly. "Nothing important, Orihime-san."

"No," interrupted Ichigo. "You were going to say something." He scowled. "Spit it out."

"Eh…you see," he began, "before I went home tonight, I happened upon Captain Ukitake and Captain Unohana." He scratched his head. "It seemed that Captain Ukitake had just had a meeting with Captain Kuchiki and," his voice drifted off.

"And," Ichigo bit out. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like this.

"And it seems that Captain Kuchiki had told Captain Ukitake about his pending marriage," he paused, "to the thirteenth division vice-captain."

"But," Inoue's voice broke through, "but the thirteenth division vice-captain is—"

"Me," Rukia's voice came loud and clear.

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

more author's note: I wanted to thank everyone who's read and taken the time to review. Honestly, due to the shortage of B x R out there, I wasn't sure if there really was any interest in this. But i'm glad you all enjoyed and i hoped you liked it as much as i did writing it. Again, thanks! 


	3. the Longest Night

Author's note: a Byakuya x Rukia fanfiction. Again, please note that this is the end result. All events will eventually lead up to it. Alongside that, I still need to reconcile Ichigo and Renji's feelings for Rukia as well as Byakuya's feelings for Hisana. So, please bear with me if there is a decided lack of B x R moments in these early chapters. They'll come soon enough, I promise.

Also, I've been using lieutenant and vice-captain interchangeably in this story as I've seen both translations. If anyone can let me know which is more correct, or whether they're really the same so it doesn't matter, that would be great!

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

**_Part One: The Betrothal_**

_Chapter Three: the Longest Night_

_

* * *

_

When Rukia first became aware of the voices, she became somewhat irritated. After all, what were they doing ruining a perfectly good nap? When she started to realize that they were talking about her, her eyes snapped open and she found herself looking up at a ceiling that was definitely not the same one she had at home. She looked at the people in the room then, taking note of Hanatarou, Inoue, and Ichigo. And sure enough, they were talking about—

"_But," Inoue's voice broke through, "but the thirteenth division vice-captain is—"_

"Me," her voice came loud and clear, interrupting their conversation. Slowly, she pulled herself up to a sitting position and looked at the two fourth division officers. "What are you two doing here?"

An awkward laugh escaped Hanatarou. "Well you see, Rukia-san," he began, "Abarai-san was worried about you and—"

She quickly turned and glared at Ichigo. "Are you telling me that you got the fourth division to come over here and treat me for _this_?" she hissed. Okay, maybe she shouldn't have turned around so quickly. Her head felt a little…on the woozy side. "You couldn't have just let me sleep it off?" she demanded, a little embarrassed at having Inoue and Hanatarou come and treat her.

"What are you afraid of?" Ichigo asked, his voice stilted. "Afraid your brother will retract his proposal if he hears that Rukia Kuchiki likes the sake a little bit too much?"

Her eyes narrowed in response at the slight edge she heard on his voice.

"Uh…" Hanatarou started looking at the door. "I think that maybe they might need me at the relief center." He slowly backed away. "You know how busy we are during these times of…peace," he winced at the blatant lie.

"I do _not_ like the sake a little bit too much," Rukia bit out indignantly, her focus entirely on Ichigo. "The one time I drink a little more than I should have—"

"Umm…don't worry, Rukia-san," Hanatarou quickly assured her, "Orihime-san and I won't make mention of this to anyone at all!"

Rukia quickly glanced at the worried Hanatarou. That he or Inoue might spread her embarrassing condition did not even occur to her. Of course, now that he mentioned it…

"That's right," added Inoue. "You can trust us not to tell anyone about how Kurosaki-kun and Abarai-kun had taken advantage of your vulnerable situation!" She gave Ichigo a disappointed look.

"For the last time, Renji and I did not get her drunk!" Ichigo's protested loudly.

"We shouldn't dwell on such horrid things," Inoue continued, ignoring Ichigo's outburst. "Instead, we must focus on your wedding, Kuchiki-san." She clapped her hands in delight. "You simply must allow Ishida-kun to help design your wedding kimono and all the various attires that you will wear for that day!"

She glanced at the amply-endowed shinigami. "Inoue-san," she said slowly, glancing at the scowling face of Ichigo from the corner of her eye, "it might be a little too early to think of such things." She gave her a forced smile. "It had only been decided today."

"Oh, but it's never too early to prepare for a wedding," she exclaimed. She looked her over. "But I understand that you might want to rest for a bit first," she said soothingly.

A snort from Ichigo was heard.

Belatedly, Inoue seemed to notice the brooding that Ichigo was doing over by the corner. "We'll just ignore Kurosaki-kun and his bad temper for now."

"Thank you, Inoue," Rukia replied. Not knowing what else to say.

"Think nothing of it," Inoue told her. "Hanatarou-kun and I were glad to help."

She smiled. Perhaps she should have clarified. She wasn't really thanking her for helping her get over what would have been a pretty bad hangover the morning after. And she wasn't thanking her either for putting all the blame in Ichigo either because, if she were honest with herself, she knew where the blame really belonged. What she was thanking her for was this bit of normalcy.

Because in the wake of her somewhat hurried decision to marry Nii-sama, a sense of normalcy was what she had been looking for amidst all the surprises of the day. And planning a wedding…that was normal, right?

"Orihime-san," interrupted Hanatarou's loud whisper, "I really think we should leave now," he urged.

"Eh?" came Inoue's startled reply. "But we just got here!"

"I really think they need us at the relief center," Hanatarou insisted weakly, glancing back and forth between Rukia and Ichigo. "In fact, _I_ need to go to the relief center," he added desperately.

All at once, concern marred Inoue's features. "Are you alright, Hanatarou-kun?" She felt his forehead. "You seem okay, but do you feel fine?"

Again, his awkward laugh. "Yes, yes, I'm fine," Hanatarou said, waving her off. "I'm just not sure for how long if I stay here," Rukia could hear him mutter to himself.

She frowned. What was Hanatarou so worried about? She looked back at Ichigo and frowned some more. That idiot was scaring the poor guy with his mean-looking face.

"Well if you think you're needed at the relief center," Rukia began, "then please don't let me keep you. I'm sorry that this idiot and Renji bothered you for this, Hanatarou." She looked at Inoue. "And you, too, Inoue."

"Oh it wasn't a bother, Rukia-san!" Hanatarou replied perkily. Or as perkily as the morose-looking shinigami was going to get. "I was glad to be able to help."

"My thanks, nonetheless," she said gently as she watched him back away to the door with the perplexed Inoue. Really, Ichigo's scowl should be registered as a threat if it could get this much reaction from other shinigamis.

Hanatarou nodded weakly before closing the door behind him and leaving with Inoue.

Alone, Rukia faced Ichigo, who leaned against the wall and gave her a piercing look.

"What the hell's going on, Rukia?" he demanded.

* * *

Orihime hesitated just outside the door, unsure whether she was doing the right thing. Was abandoning Kuchiki-san to Kurosaki-kun a good idea at this point? Kurosaki-kun had looked so…disturbed and…tense. She had debated on whether to follow up on Hanatarou-kun's more than obvious signal to leave the room. 

"Orihime-san?" Hanatarou's voice queried.

She looked up to find her division member's eyes resting gently upon her.

"I'm certain that Rukia-san will be okay," he stated quietly. "Ichigo-san wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

Orihime looked back at the door before finally giving in and walking away with Hanatarou.

"But I believe that they might need time to talk by themselves," he continued.

"Is it…is it well-known yet?" she asked him. "That Kuchiki-san is to marry the sixth division captain?"

He shook his head. "As Rukia-san has mentioned, I believe the final decision just came today," he informed her. "But judging by Captain Ukitake and Captain Unohana's response, it was quite a surprise to them both." He shrugged his shoulders. "From what I gather, everything was arranged by the family advisors."

Orihime looked at him in surprise. "You seem to know a lot about this," she ventured.

A small laugh. "It comes from being very unobtrusive," he explained. "Although I'm pretty sure the captains knew I was there when they discussed this. But I don't believe they were trying to keep it a secret. Everyone in Soul Society will probably know by tomorrow." He paused. "To be honest, I believe that Rukia-san is the most surprised one of all."

"Why do you say that?" she asked curiously. Except for being slightly incapacitated, Kuchiki-san had seemed…well…normal to her. It was Kurosaki-kun who was tense.

Again, Hanatarou shrugged. "Just a feeling I get about her," he replied. "Ever since I heard the news from Captain Unohana and Captain Ukitake, I had thought of Rukia-san's feelings. And when Abarai-san arrived at my apartment earlier this evening and mentioned Kuchiki-san, I had been worried." He paused. "Rukia-san is very…vulnerable when it comes to her brother and the Kuchiki family. I was worried that they might have placed undue pressure upon her even without meaning to."

Not for the first time that evening, Orihime was caught by surprise. This just might be the most she'd ever heard Hanatarou speak.

"But…But why?" she asked. She didn't understand any of this. Why was the marriage even considered? They had been living as brother and sister for _decades_. Why the change? And why now?

Hanatarou looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I don't know the workings of the mind of nobility, if that's what you are asking," he said quietly. "After these many years, I am not sure as to why the advisors felt the need for Captain Kuchiki to marry again so suddenly. But, if you are asking as to why Rukia-san would agree, well…I would venture to guess that it all goes back again to the debt she feels she owes the Kuchiki clan for adopting her."

She peered at him silently. "You must know Kuchiki-san pretty well," she stated softly, "for you to understand her thoughts on the matter."

"Ah-hah-hah," came his nervous laugh. "I would not presume to say that I know Rukia-san well," he qualified. "It's all just speculation on my part."

"Hmmm…" Was her woman's intuition trying to tell her something?

"She has been very kind to me since I've met her," he went on. "And we've talked a little bit off and on since then, either when we were in the human world or back here in Soul Society." He smiled. "She never bullied me like the others and—" his words trailed.

Whatever he was about to say was forgotten by both of them when they looked forward and saw Renji Abarai standing still in the deserted street.

"Abarai-kun!" she cried out, running towards the red-haired shinigami.

* * *

Renji looked up at the sound of his name and silently cursed for the umpteenth time that night when he saw the two fourth division members run towards him. For a brief moment, he seriously considered turning his back and running the other way. But, his curiosity about Rukia's well-being got the better of him and he stayed where he was. 

"Abarai-kun," Inoue repeated upon reaching him, her eyes quickly flying to his bloodied fists and the wall next to him.

"Inoue," he looked over her shoulder. "Hanatarou."

"Abarai-san," Hanatarou waved. "Lieutenant Abarai," he corrected himself. And like Inoue, his eyes darted between his fists and the cracked wall.

"It seems Abarai-kun had a small scuffle with the wall, Hanatarou-kun!" Inoue said brightly before cautiously approaching him. "Why don't you let me—"

"Forget it," he brushed her off. "It's nothing."

"But Abarai-kun," she protested.

"It's nothing," he repeated, looking past them to the direction of his home. "How's Rukia?"

"She's doing well, now," Hanatarou answered him while exchanging meaningful looks with Inoue. "It was nothing serious."

"I see," he replied. Had he been hoping for something different? Had he been hoping that the fourth division medic would find something irrevocably wrong with her? Wrong enough to cause her to make such a bad decision as to marry Captain Kuchiki?

He pushed away the traitorous thought. "That's good then," he mouthed. Because it was good, right?

"Abarai-kun, it would take but a few moments—" Inoue began at his side.

"I said forget it," he said again, with a little more force this time. He didn't want her or Hanatarou healing him. The way he felt right now, he welcomed the physical pain—minute as it was comparatively speaking—that was the result of his temper. "I'm going home," he stated, moving past them.

"Um…ano…Lieutenant Abarai," Hanatarou's voice called out softly to him. "Were you able to run your errand?" he asked.

Renji looked back at him in question.

"You said awhile ago that you needed to check something out," Hanatarou explained. "Was everything in order?" he asked again.

He gave a bitter smile. "Ah," he replied. And whether he meant it as a yes or a no, he wasn't sure himself. Slowly, he turned away as he made his way back to his place.

He needed to talk to Rukia.

* * *

_What the hell's going on, Rukia?_

Ichigo almost kicked himself. You would think that after all these years knowing, he would be smart enough to know that if he ever wanted a straight answer from Rukia, starting off with "What the hell's going on, Rukia?" was not the best way to go about it. If anything the tone and the words would only serve to get the midget's back up and therefore result in her being not at all helpful.

And as he had predicted, he watched as she visibly bristled as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Damn!

Maybe he could get Zangetsu to give him a swift kick in the ass for being an ass.

"What do you mean 'what's the hell's going on'" she demanded. "I just told you. And Renji." She smirked. "You just didn't believe me."

He looked at her in disbelief. "Who could blame me for that?" he returned back at her. "Damn, Rukia! Married? To your brother?"

"Brother-in-law," she clarified. "We're not related by blood," she bit out.

"Oh, excuse me," he said sarcastically. "Brother-in-law," he repeated dutifully, before pushing himself against the wall and standing before her. "Hell, Rukia! What were you thinking?" Another thought entered his head and his eyes narrowed in focus. He leaned towards her, his hands going to her shoulders as he forced her to look at him. "Is he forcing you?" he questioned her furiously. "Say the word and I'll—"

She shook her head vehemently. "Nii-sama would never—"

"Then what, Rukia?" he all but growled, staring at the blue eyes he knew so well.

She looked down and away from him.

"Rukia!" He felt like shaking her.

"I don't know!" she burst out. "I don't know!" she said again. "I don't know," she repeated, looking at him this time. "I don't know why the family advisors suddenly got impatient waiting for Nii-sama to get married again and provide them with a tangible Kuchiki heir."

Ichigo winced at the image that thought brought him.

"After disapproving of me for so many years, I don't know why they've decided that I would be the best candidate for a wife," she continued, her fists clenched on her lap. "I don't know why Nii-sama agreed to it at all," she whispered to herself.

"I don't care about all that," he told her abruptly, honestly.

She glared at him. "What do you mean you don't care?" she asked. "This is my life and you're supposed to be my friend—"

He held up his hand to stop her tirade. "I didn't mean it that way," he told her. "It's just," he stood up and walked away from her. "I don't' care about them. I could care less about your family advisors or your arrogant pr—"

"Please do not insult my brother in my presence," she stated stiffly.

He gave her a flabbergasted look.

"Whatever," he told her. "I could care less about him, too. Smug bastard that he is."

"Ichigo!"

"Okay, okay!" he said. "I'm just saying." He scratched his head. "I'm just saying," he reiterated, "that I don't care about the reasons that the rest of them have for supporting this…this…marriage," he finished reluctantly.

"I see," she said, although her demeanor clearly stated that she didn't. See his point, that is.

"Argh!" he groaned, looking up at the ceiling. "This isn't coming out right." He approached her again and this time sat next to her. "The only thing I'm interested in," he began, "the only thing I care about right now is you."

She gave a startled jerk, looking at him in what he could only interpret as more shock. "Ichigo—"

"I meant," he tried to explain, to save face, because he was pretty sure what he said came out wrong. At least he thought it might have come out wrong. "I'm only interested in your reasons…your decision in all of this." He looked at her intently. "Why did _you_ agree to this?"

Was that disappointment in her eyes at his clarification?

He watched as she took a deep breath before looking away from him.

"I don't know the answer to that either," she said quietly. "I don't understand it myself." She gave a soft laugh. "I'm not even sure if I could recall the meeting with any degree of accuracy." She faced him. "One minute I was there, greeting Nii-sama. The next moment, Sanada-san was expounding on the merits of a Kuchiki union. And the next thing I know, I've given my consent."

"Are you sure you weren't drugged or under some other influence?" he asked her, looking for some outward explanation. How could one go from being brother and sister to a betrothed couple in a matter of moments?

She took his hands to hers and turned to face him more fully. "I gave my consent, Ichigo," she said softly. "That much I remember. There were no threats or undue influences on their part."

He looked at their hands together in her lap. Maybe he would end up shaking her after all. How could she calmly say that she had accepted a convenient marriage arranged by people who could care less about her interests? How could she sit there and say that it was her choice to let those idiots decide who she should be marrying?

He was about to say something to that effect, something sarcastic and biting, when he noticed the shakiness of her hands and even her demeanor.

"Rukia," he said. To himself really, not to her.

She looked up and gave him a forced smile. And he knew it was a forced smile just as he knew back then which smiles were genuine and which ones were part of her acting.

He'd always known.

She gave a hollow laugh. "I think right now," she told him quietly, "I just need someone to tell me that this is the right decision." She looked past him to the door where Inoue and Hanatarou had left moments before. "It all happened so fast that I just wish...I wish." She looked back at him and smiled ruefully. "Well, I wished for many things."

And what could he say to that?

"Well if that's what you decided on your own," his voice hoarse, his words caught in his throat. He would swear that he'd said these lines before. "If you feel that you would like to go through with this," he lifted her chin up with his fingers, "then it is for the best." There. He did his duty as her friend. He gave her what she wanted.

"Ichigo, I—" her hand covered his one hand against her cheek.

And whatever it was she was about to say would remain unsaid as the door to the apartment burst open that minute.

"Well isn't this just cozy?" Renji's voice dripped with sarcasm before he kicked the door closed. "Is this a party for two or can anyone join in?"

* * *

To be continued 


	4. Rules of Engagement

Author's notes: I've got several more chapters of _Part One: The Betrothal_ to complete before going to _Part Two: the Wedding_. And while I've already started doing the research, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a good web site that has a good background on Japanese Shinto weddings. If you know of any or if you yourself are a good source of information regarding the topic, please email me as I would very much appreciate it.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Four: Rules of Engagement_

_

* * *

_

"Renji!" she said surprised, looking up at his angry face.

"Renji!" Ichigo exclaimed at the same time beside her, just as he jumped away and dropped her hand like a hot potato.

After giving Ichigo a curious look, Rukia stood up to approach her childhood friend, her arms crossed against her chest. "How could you?" she demanded as she continued to approach him despite his unfriendly greeting. "You called a fourth division seated officer to come treat me for drinking too much sake?" She uncrossed her arms and began poking him with her finger. "Are you insane? You _know_ this is going to end up in Nii-sama's ears."

"As a matter of fact," he began coldly, "I've just been to see that brother of yours."

"Oh?" she asked. He just saw Nii-sama? Whatever for? And what did he say? She drew back and raised an eyebrow in question. "Why is that?" she asked suspiciously. Why would Renji see Nii-sama?

"I wanted to ask someone who wasn't falling down drunk about whether or not you were really getting married," he stated bluntly. "And wouldn't you know it, it seems that you are."

She winced at his reply. "Stop exaggerating," she gritted. "For the last time, I wasn't falling down drunk," she turned to glare at Ichigo, too, for that statement. She took a deep breath. "And as for getting married, you were the first two I've mentioned it to so what seems to be the problem?" She slapped her hand against her forehead. "I haven't even told Captain Ukitake, yet!"

"Oh, he knows," muttered Ichigo from the side.

She turned to him again with a look of askance. "What!" she almost screeched.

"Didn't you hear Hanatarou?" he asked. "Or were you still passed out at that time?"

"Argh!" She threw her hands up in the air. "Does everyone know?" she asked to no one in particular as she began pacing back and forth. "About the engagement, and not the fact that you two claim that I was passed out," she clarified.

"By the time morning comes," Renji stated, giving her a strange look, "most likely."

For a moment, a flash of panic zinged its way through her, freezing her on the spot. She didn't know what she was thinking. Of course everyone would eventually know. It was a Kuchiki wedding, for goodness' sake. What she wasn't expecting was the fast pace that the news seemed to be spreading. She had thought to have at least a week to get used to the idea without other people speculating. She had thought to only let Ichigo and Renji know because they were her closest friends. And because even Nii-sama had prompted her to do it soon.

"Surely you didn't expect this to be kept quiet," Renji's voice came again as he stood in front of her. "You're engaged to freaking Byakuya Kuchiki!" His hands went to her shoulders.

Looking at the hands before her, she was swept away by a sense of déjà vu. For a second, she was back in that room at the Shinigami Academy listening to the man who was more than her friend as he tells her what a great opportunity it was to be part of such a noble clan. She remembered the lump that rose from her throat and the tears that welled in her eyes. Was this going to be a repeat of that scene? She shook her head, unwilling to listen to whatever merits a Kuchiki wedding might have on her stand on Soul Society. She'd had enough of that this afternoon.

She took his hands away from her shoulders and stepped away only to look up and meet the eyes of a stoic Ichigo leaning against the wall behind Renji. What was _he _thinking?

"Rukia," Renji's voice was low as he held back her hand with his tightening fingers.

She looked back at him and his serious, serious eyes.

"We need to talk," he told her.

She tried to pull her hand back, but he held firm.

"Rukia," he said again.

She felt her breath catch at her throat. She didn't think she could. Talk, that is. At least not now. It was stupid, very stupid of her to come here in this state. She should have sent them a message to say that she wasn't going to make it or that she was going to be late. Very late. She should have stayed at home and given herself more time to think and reflect on her circumstances before she dropped such news to her friends.

She looked at both of them and took note of the uncharacteristic stillness they projected. Somehow, this was her doing. By coming here and sharing her news with them, she had burdened them with her own problems and concerns. The only good thing that came out of it was that at least her two friends heard the news from her instead of someone else.

"N-n-not now, Renji," she stammered, looking between him and Ichigo. "I think I need to go home," she finished quietly. And she did. She should not have been as selfish as to use her friends as a buffer against the reality of her situation. "It's been a trying day." Again, she tugged at her hand and met Renji's eyes. "We'll talk more later," she promised, seeing the doubt in his those depths. She covered his hand with her free one. "I'm just tired right now. I think I need to rest."

Slowly, she felt his grip of her hand slacken and his arms fell to his side.

"Whatever you say, Rukia," he said resignedly, looking at her intently. He looked away. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Of course," she assured him, although unsure herself whether that was possible. They all had their duties to keep them busy and it was often the case that they don't all see each other during those times. The three of them belonged to different divisions after all.

Giving him a worried glance, she walked to the door and held the handle. "Later," she said to both of them, unwilling to look back. She opened the door and let herself out.

* * *

Unbelievable as it might seem, the tension in the living room went up a notch more once she left. He looked at the silent man before him and almost spat. What the hell was he doing with her before he came in? The picture in his mind had been so cozy. The two of them sitting close together, hands touching and their faces merely inches apart. And what the hell was he doing now, just standing there like nothing happened? 

"What the hell were you doing?" he asked, giving voice to his thoughts. He'd been spoiling for a fight even before he arrived. In fact, he'd been spoiling for one ever since he'd talked to Byakuya Kuchiki. Ichigo just might be the convenient outlet.

The current vice-captain of the first division gave him an impassive stare.

His eyes burned. "Ichigo," he said softly. "What—"

"I wasn't doing anything," he interrupted with a bland look on his face. "_We_ weren't doing anything."

He gave him a look of disbelief. "Stop treating me like a fool," he gritted through his teeth. "I _saw_ you. And her." No matter how much he wished he could forget seeing Ichigo's protective hover and the soft look on Rukia's face, he could remember the scene he came upon quite vividly.

"What exactly did you see?" Ichigo returned. "What exactly are you accusing us of?" he asked softly, his eyes piercing with an unnamed emotion as his body became even more still if that were at all possible.

Renji approached the shinigami purposefully before grabbing the front of his robes. "I'm not stupid," he hissed against his unresponsive _friend_ as he held him against the wall. He could even remember the guilty look Ichigo had when he dropped Rukia's hand and jumped almost clear across the room.

"Let go, Renji," Ichigo's voice said edgily, his dark eyes finally showing a hint of the turmoil that was banked all this time.

_There…_there was the Ichigo he knew.

"We both know I'm not the one you want to fight," the orange-haired shinigami told him.

"We both don't know anything!" he growled, pushing him away and letting him go. "Not a damn thing!" He turned his back and walked across the room before looking back at Ichigo. "What—"

"You _know_ we weren't doing anything," Ichigo said again. "At least nothing your dirty mind has come up with," he continued. "And I'm thinking that you didn't bloody your fist onto your captain's face like you wanted to either."

Renji looked away.

"What did Byakuya Kuchiki say?" Ichigo asked. "Besides confirm the upcoming marriage, that is."

"Nothing," he muttered. "I didn't get anything out of him besides the fact that Rukia is his _betrothed._" His mouth tasted the bitter bile that was those words. He looked back at Ichigo. "Now tell me what Rukia said," he demanded. "And don't give me that crap about nothing, because she must have said something for you two to be cozied up that way."

"I'm going to say this one last time before I begin trying to knock some sense into you," Ichigo responded quietly. "There was nothing inappropriate going on between me and Rukia in your freaking apartment. For God's sake, Inoue and Hanatarou were just here, not to mention the fact that she's now _engaged._ I'm not the sort of scum to take advantage of a _friend_ who's in a vulnerable situation."

"You could have fooled me," he retorted, just before he felt his neck snap back at the force of Ichigo's well-aimed punch. He felt his body rock backwards against the floor as he turned to look up to his friend. Okay, so maybe pricking Ichigo's temper might not have been one of his brightest ideas. But damn! The stoic and calm Ichigo was just so _unnatural._ Not to mention that there _was _that little scene he interrupted. Thinking back to it, he reconsidered whether he should respond to Ichigo's punch in kind.

"You deserved that," Ichigo said coldly. "You insulted me, but that's nothing new. We've done that to each other since we first met. But are you really as stupid as to insult her honor?"

He felt a wave of shame wash over him like cold water over his hot rage. What had he been thinking? About the two closest friends he had in Soul Society? The metallic flavor of blood filled his mouth and he spat. He really was an idiot.

"She said," Ichigo began, still looking at him. "She said it was her choice."

He snorted. Was this why that fellow idiot friend of his was acting like a whipped puppy?

"That's a load of crap," he shouted, not bothering to get up. "Rukia would have given us some sort warning if she was thinking of marrying her brother."

"I think it was a surprise to her too," Ichigo continued, his voice wooden. "From what I understand, she didn't have an inkling about what her meeting with Byakuya was for."

"So she was ambushed!" he declared. "Those bastards!"

"She said she gave her consent and that she wasn't forced," Ichigo bit out. "Don't you think I asked her that? Don't you think I looked for whatever excuse I could to go over there and demand that they release her from this agreement?"

"For cripe's sake, this is _Rukia_ we're talking about!" he exclaimed. "Of course they didn't have to force her! They probably wrapped the whole thing as some sort of family obligation or some stupid shit like that. And knowing her, she probably just lapped it up and agreed. Anything for the family!" This time he stood up. "Stupid Rukia!" he muttered, frustrated. And stupid Ichigo, for that matter! Granted, he probably had more time than his friend to think things through. Running to and fro between the Kuchiki residence and his apartment did give one time to think.

"That actually…makes sense," Ichigo finally stated. "Surprising coming from you, but then, this whole night has been one surprise after another."

And for the first time since they both heard the news, he saw Ichigo's face burn with something other than the mask he'd had on all evening.

"What the hell does that mean, 'it makes surprising sense coming from me' crap?" he demanded.

Ichigo smirked.

And finally, Renji saw the Ichigo he had expected to see upon hearing the news of Rukia's engagement. Gone was the shell-shocked and emotionless Ichigo he had first seen upon Rukia's departure. For the first time that night, he smiled. Maybe, just maybe, between him and Ichigo, they could convince Rukia what a colossal mistake she was making.

"Are we agreed then?" he asked, just to make sure.

Ichigo lifted a brow.

"Are we agreed then that this is not what Rukia really wants?" he clarified.

Slowly, Ichigo nodded. "Convincing Rukia might be another matter, though," he said thoughtfully before slapping his forehead.

"What is it?" Renji asked, panicked. Had they forgotten something?

"I'm an idiot!" Ichigo told him.

He grinned. "I know that, but tell me why anyway," he encouraged.

"I told her that the engagement was 'for the best,'" he explained, looking like he was about to get sick.

"That's nothing," Renji informed him. "I," he paused for effect, "_congratulated _Captain Kuchiki on his upcoming nuptials."

They both stared at each other in silence for a couple of seconds before simultaneously shaking their heads.

They were both idiots.

* * *

He had always liked the night. 

Walking through the grounds of his home under the cover of moonlight had always been a pastime he had enjoyed even when he was a child. In the beginning, it had been something he used to get away and escape a day full of lessons and strictures. As time passed by, it became a way for him to clear his mind and unwind as much as he can before the next day came.

So tonight was no different. If he had come out later than usual, he took no note of it. The events of the day ran longer than expected, not to mention the surprise visit from his lieutenant. If he had seemed to linger outside a little longer, he thought no more of it. It was only expected that he should give more thought on the upcoming nuptials he had agreed to after all. And if, to an outsider, it had seemed like he was waiting for someone, he would have dismissed the very thought. For who could he be waiting for at this time of night?

And when he noticed the arrival of Rukia, he took no note of the easing of tension from his shoulders or the fact that he even approached her instead of observing her from a distance.

"Rukia," he said quietly, stepping away from the shadows.

He watched as she jumped at the sound of his voice and took note of the momentary panic that entered her eyes.

"N-N-Nii-sama!" she stuttered, her eyes widening.

He tried not grimace at the title. He'd had decades of her calling him 'brother,' so he understood how easily it was for her to forget its inappropriateness at this time. "Back from your gathering, I take it," he stated, stopping before her.

She nodded rapidly. "Yes, sir," she replied, her head bowed. "I…I'm sorry if I've disturbed your—"

"Hardly," he interrupted her. He looked behind her. "I usually walk these grounds at night," he informed her. "It is an excellent way to clear one's mind of the day's events."

"Of-of-of course," she replied, although it was quite clear from her tone that she was perplexed at being told this tidbit of information. "I could see how it would be," she continued. She shifted her weight from one foot to the next.

Mindful of her discomfort at his presence, his mind searched through different ways to alleviate her obvious unease. Unfortunately, none were forthcoming and he was at a loss when it came to having a _normal_ conversation with Rukia. Contrary to popular belief, it had never been his intention to stifle Rukia under the mantle of the Kuchiki name. His actions had all been for her protection, a remnant of the deathbed promise he had made to Hisana.

He took a deep breath, quite bitterly aware of the fact that at this very moment, Rukia was desperately searching for a way to dismiss herself from his presence. He tried to comfort himself with the fact that at least he _knew_ that it was possible for him and his future bride to live peacefully under the same roof. They've had decades of practice for that. Surely, there were other noble marriages with less auspicious beginnings.

"You have told your companions the news, I gather," he stated, breaking the long silence. He was quite curious about the deed itself. After all, what could she have said that made his lieutenant come here and question him regarding the matter?

"Yes, sir," she replied softly. And said nothing more.

"I take it they were quite surprised," he prompted her.

She nodded. "To say the least," she muttered. And she uttered it so lowly, that he wasn't sure she had meant for him to hear it.

He shrugged. It was to be expected. Ukitake himself had been left speechless when he had casually dropped the news of his impending marriage to his vice-captain. At that time, he had thought it prudent to inform Rukia's captain because he had been sure that she would not have had the time to do so before the rumor mill did its rounds.

"Renji came here this evening," he informed her, although he was sure that she was quite aware of that fact.

She looked up quickly, only to look away. "Yes, he mentioned that," she replied.

"He conveyed his well-wishes towards our upcoming union," he told her.

"Did he now?" she commented, avoiding his gaze.

"It seemed…strange, however," he continued.

"Oh?" she tilted her head curiously. "What seemed strange?"

He looked at her intently. "When he first came, Renji had seemed…unsure about the engagement altogether. I do believe he came here to…verify its existence." He watched for her reaction as he silently reprimanded himself. Was this why he had been out here? Was this the reason for his uncharacteristic greeting of her on this night? Had he been in fact waiting to ask her about this very matter?

"I'm sure that he meant no disrespect," she responded quickly, nervously, her hands smoothing the nonexistent wrinkles off her shinigami robes.

"It begs the question, Rukia, as to why he would doubt your word enough to approach me regarding the matter," he said softly.

Even with only the moon as his source of light, he could see the pallor of her face as she struggled for an appropriate response. In the end, she tried to laugh it off.

"He must have thought I was joking," she said weakly. "I…I am known for…teasing him a lot," she admitted.

"In matters as serious as this?" he questioned and at the same time he wondered why he was pressing the issue. What did it matter to him that Rukia had been unable to initially convince her friends of the validity of their engagement?

"No, of course not," she denied. "But, he…he had an errand to run before I was able to properly assure him of the matter. The…Kuchiki residence must have been on the way and he thought to offer his congratulations just in case."

"Is that so?" he stated, unconvinced.

She nodded, agitated.

"I trust then that there are no more misunderstandings regarding this matter?" he prodded. "Your friends do understand the seriousness of this union?"

She nodded again. "Yes, of course," she answered immediately.

"And I don't have to remind you that as my future bride, I expect the most circumspect of behaviors from you?"

"Nii-sama," she said, her voice carefully controlled, "if I have in any way behaved improperly in your eyes, please let me know immediately so that I may rectify the matter."

He clenched his jaw at the familiar response. How often had he heard those same words, especially in the beginning when she was first adopted? And why now did he choose to remind her of her duties as a Kuchiki? He stared at the bowed head before him.

This had not been his intention tonight. If anything, he had meant to reassure her of her choice and to let her know that it was still her choice despite Sanada's insistence. He had meant to alleviate the pressure on her shoulders instead of add to it. For some reason, however, the visit from his lieutenant had changed all that and he wondered why Renji's doubt had come to affect how this discussion turned out.

Unwilling to go further in depth at this time, he looked away from the small figure before him. "It is getting late," he stated. "Perhaps it is best that you turn in for the night." There, he had provided her with the escaped she had so longed for.

"Of course, Nii-sama," she said hurriedly, before making another quick bow. "Have a good evening," she said softly before departing.

Leaving him alone with his thoughts as he watched her rapidly retreating figure. Leaving him alone to wonder what just happened to the discussion he had planned.

Leaving him alone under the moonlight, a situation he was quite used to.

* * *

To be continued

* * *

More author's notes: thank you to everyone who has reviewed! i very much appreciated the encouragement you've given this somewhat unconventional pairing. 


	5. the Morning After

Brief Glossary (and if I got any of these wrong, feel free to let me know, please!): 

_yui-no_ – engagement ceremony.

_rokuyō _– a series of six days often found in Japanese calendars that predict whether there will be good or bad fortune that day.

_taian_ – the luckiest day of the _rokuyō_.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Five: The Morning After

* * *

_

When dawn first began to appear in the horizon, bathing his room with its light, Renji wondered what his captain would say if he appeared late for duties that day. Whoever the idiot was that said that things always looked better in the light of day, didn't know what the hell he was talking about.

Look better in the light of day?

What a load of crap!

What the hell did the light of day have to do with anything? Because coming from someone who was awake during the transition from dark to light, the light of day might as well have been nothing but a flashlight for all the good it did to his mood. Damn philosophizing fools!

Thinking about the day in front of him, he groaned. He might as well get up at this rate. He certainly wasn't going back to sleep. What little sleep he did get was fitful and he wasn't going to waste his time trying to catch a few more minutes of rest.

He sat up slowly, staring at the window before him.

Gods, what the hell was he supposed to do?

What the hell were _they_ supposed to do, for that matter? While it had been a brilliant idea to put their heads together and attempt to devise ways to convince Rukia what an enormously stupid, idiotic, dim-witted mistake she was making in agreeing to marry Byakuya Kuchiki, their little plan fell short. In the planning stages, that is.

If he had the energy, he would have slapped his forehead right now just thinking about all the stupid, idiotic, dim-witted ideas he and Ichigo came up with the night before. At this rate, Rukia'll be married to his captain and pregnant with their third child by the time he and Ichigo came up with a plan.

He cussed at the mental picture that brought up. As if he needed any help getting sick this morning.

But damn if he wasn't feeling stupid, too. When he thought back to all the little scenarios he and Ichigo thought up the night before, he began to wonder whether all that shinigami work might have led to more than a few dead brain cells. He groaned again. Too bad he couldn't quite forget all those ideas they had from last night.

Renji closed his eyes and fell back in bed. Maybe it was the sake. What else in god's name would have possessed them to think that they needed to _practice_ what they were going to say to her?

_Scenario One: The Direct Approach (Ichigo's brain child)_

_Renji: Rukia, we've got to talk._

_Ichigo (pretending to be Rukia with a high-pitched voice): Oh?_

_Renji: I've been meaning to say this for some time now._

_Ichigo as Rukia: Go on!_

_Renji: But I didn't quite know how to tell you._

_Ichigo still as Rukia: Uh-huh…_

_Renji: Rukia, I want you to know that I think you're—_

_Ichigo: Stupid, you sound like you're about to declare you're undying love for her!_

_Renji: What! I was building up to it!_

_Ichigo: Building up to a what? A confession?_

_Renji: Oh, and I suppose you could do better?_

_Scenario Two: Still the Direct Approach (still Ichigo's brain child)—revised_

_Ichigo: Rukia._

_Renji as Rukia: (bats his/her lashes)_

_Ichigo: Ya got something in your eye?_

_Renji: Shut up. I'm pretending to be Rukia._

_Ichigo: By having something in your eye?_

_Renji: By fluttering my eyelashes, you fool!_

_Ichigo punches him._

_Ichigo: What the hell do you think you're doing? Since when did Rukia flutter her lashes?_

_Renji: Now that you mention it…_

_Ichigo: Argh! Do over!_

_Scenario Three: Still the Direct Approach (still Ichigo's brain child)—the short version_

_Ichigo: Rukia._

_Renji as Rukia: Yah?_

_Ichigo: You're brother's an ass. Don't marry him._

_Renji: You can't say that about Captain Kuchiki! _

_Ichigo: You got any better ideas?_

_Scenario Four: Still the Direct Approach (still Ichigo's brain child)—last take_

_Renji: Rukia._

_Ichigo as Rukia: …_

_Renji: I think marrying your brother is a big mistake!_

_Ichigo as Rukia still: He's not actually my real brother, you know._

_Renji: Even if he isn't, I still think marrying Byakuya Kuchiki is a big mistake!_

_Ichigo still as Rukia: Please do not insult Nii-sama in my presence!_

_Renji: What the hell?_

_Ichigo: Hey, she said that to me just awhile ago!_

_Renji: Fuck!_

_Ichigo: Listen, I don't think this direct approach of mine is going to work._

_Renji: Ya think!_

He groaned as more scenes flashed before his eyes. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

When Ichigo woke with a splitting headache, his first thought was that he was back home in Karakura and he had been just a little too slow to avoid one of his father's morning greetings, often consisting of something heavy (usually his own father) landing on his face. The pain didn't go away, however, and no accompanying wailing noise followed. And so, even in his sleep-induced stupor, he was finally able to quickly situate himself to the present. Stretching and yawning, his mind tried to remind him of something else; something he was missing as he groggily lifted himself out of bed. 

Blinking against the brightness of the morning sun, he took one step forward before the memories of last night came crashing down on his head and he found himself staggering across the room in surprise.

Maybe, just maybe, it didn't really happen. Maybe it was one of those surreal nightmares that he just needed to wake up from. Damn, for all he knew, he might be dreaming right now.

He clenched his fist.

Nope!

Fist is tender, which meant he must have hit Renji. Not surprisingly, that guy had a hard head.

Bracing his hand against a chair, he rubbed his eyes with his free hand and stared outside his window, trying to distract himself from thoughts of last night. The morning was just beginning for Soul Society. If he listened carefully, he could hear the bustle of activity that accompanied the start of a new day. He could hear the training of different squads from different divisions as they began their morning exercises. He could hear the greetings that people threw at each other in the streets beneath his window.

Everything outside was so normal. Soul Society ran as it should.

Did he expect something different?

In the light of day, given the events of last night, did he really expect something to be just a little off? For a moment, he felt a sense of déjà vu. Back when he was still human, back then when Rukia had first left for Soul Society, hadn't he felt this same sense of strangeness? Back then, hadn't he thought it strange how the world went on about its business despite Rukia's disappearance?

And now, it wasn't as if Rukia disappeared, but…wasn't that what her marriage would do?

Strange as it might seem, there had always been two Rukias ever since he'd known her. Back in the human world, there was the Rukia he knew as a shinigami and the Rukia who was his classmate. Which was alright. He knew the role she thought she had to play to make herself fit in with his schoolmates and friends. When he finally came to live in Soul Society, however, he was more than surprised to realize that yet again, there were two Rukias. There was the Rukia that he and Renji and some members of the Thirteenth division knew, and then there was the Rukia that the rest of Soul Society (and most especially Byakuya Kuchiki) knew.

He shook his head as if to clear it.

He could remember the evening with vivid clarity when he and Renji had been invited to dine at the Kuchiki main house. He'd only recently been a fulltime shinigami of Soul Society and he could recall Renji giving him some snide remark about not embarrassing Rukia in front of her brother. He hadn't really paid attention then, dismissing Renji's dire warnings with a wave of a hand. He had fought Byakuya Kuchiki before and had treated him no different than he would any opponent. How could dinner at the Kuchiki house be any more intimidating than a battlefield?

Except that it had been.

It had begun with Rukia, who had greeted them with her oh-so-soft voice and downcast eyes. He remembered his jaw dropping at the sight of the surprisingly demure shinigami as they were led to the main house. Renji had to elbow him to remind him to shut his mouth. Of course, thinking back, he shouldn't have been _too_ surprised. After all, he did know the Rukia of old, the Rukia his classmates knew. But to see that Rukia in Soul Society, only just that much more…stiff had been quite a treat.

It was a damn sight different from the Rukia who whacked him in the head with the butt of her sword for teasing her about her ladylike behavior hours later, that was for sure.

Looking back to that night, dinner had been a stiff, awkward, and formal affair. But then, Byakuya Kuchiki had a way of doing that to any event. Ichigo's surprise, however, had been at the flawless act that Rukia put on as the Kuchiki hostess. Had he not known any better, he would have sworn that Rukia had a twin.

And from then on, he had to almost always stop himself from doing a double take whenever he saw Rukia walk by in the streets or in the hallways of Seireitei, especially when she was with her brother. He remembered Renji leaning against him with the words, "It takes some getting used to, huh, to see her with Captain Kuchiki?" while he found himself nodding as both their eyes followed the progress of the Kuchiki clan down the street. While Rukia didn't quite have Byakuya Kuchiki's arrogant look down pat, there was an air of other-worldliness that surrounded her. Anyone looking at the way she walked or held herself would never mistake her for anything other than a noble of Soul Society.

But he'd always thought of it as an act.

Because the Rukia that he knew was fun and loud and demanding. She was bossy to the point of being overbearing, opinionated to a fault, and willful to the point of stubbornness.

That was the Rukia he fell in love with back in his substitute shinigami days.

That was the Rukia that was missing whenever she was with Byakuya Kuchiki.

And now she had just agreed to marry the man.

He kicked the chair he leaned against clear across the room, cursing under his breath as he did so.

And somehow, he had a feeling that the Rukia he knew will no longer exist after such an event.

* * *

By the time she left her bedchamber that morning, Rukia had almost been able to convince herself that everything would be okay. Surely by this time, Sanada-san and the rest of the Kuchiki advisors would have come to realize what an utterly ridiculous choice she was as a bride for Nii-sama. She was from Rukongai, for heaven's sake. And while it had been decades since she had been adopted into the Kuchiki clan, no amount of paperwork was going to change the fact that she grew up in the poorest of districts as one its strays. 

Taking a deep breath, she braced herself to join her brother for breakfast. Like every morning she woke up at home, she knew that her brother would always be at the breakfast table already way before her. No matter how early she seemed to wake up, she often arrived not long before Nii-sama would take his leave and go about his way.

This morning, however, she had the added surprise of Sanada-san and the rest of the Kuchiki advisors.

Pausing by the entrance to cover her surprise and the uncontrollable hope blossoming within her chest, she gave a polite bow to the elders before making her way to her place.

This is _it_! They were going to tell her that everything had all been a big mistake, a huge misunderstanding.

"Rukia," Nii-sama greeted.

Sanada-san gave her a nod. "It's good that you're here," he stated. "As I was saying, a _yui-no_ ceremony would be most appropriate soon. The next _taian _is in three days and I see no reason not to take advantage of it. As there is only the Kuchiki family to consider—"

"I have asked Ukitake to act on Rukia's behalf on this matter," her adopted brother interrupted. He looked at her closely. "I'm sure that is acceptable," he stated.

"Of-of course!" she replied, surprised she had been able to say anything at all when her mind was still reeling at the idea of a formal engagement ceremony.

She looked at them in dismay. Okay, so this wasn't quite what she had expected.

She mentally kicked herself for that little bit of understatement.

Not _quite _what she expected? Try not even in the same world!

A _yui-no? _

What did one _do_ in those things? More importantly, what did the nobility do? Although she had been part of the Kuchiki family for decades, she could hardly remember going to any weddings, let alone any engagement ceremonies. And why were they even considering it? Weren't they supposed to be here to tell her that they had made a humungous mistake?

"Still, since there really is just the Kuchiki family presence to consider, there is no reason for delay," Sanada stated. "I'm sure Captain Ukitake could find the time to attend at the given day."

And at that point, she found herself the recipient of all their stares.

"I'll confirm it with him today," she informed them, feeling her life flash before her eyes as she imagined her conversation with her captain.

_Oh by the way, Captain Ukitake, you wouldn't happen to mind attending a _yui-no_ in three days, would you? I know you're quite busy as well as being an invalid, but I would really appreciate it if you…_

_Could somehow convince the Kuchiki clan what a disastrous wife I will be to Nii-sama!_

"Now as for the wedding date—"

"Wedding date!" she screeched. At least she thought she might screeched have given the way everyone seemed to stare at her.

Sanada gave her a questioning look. "Is there something you would like to contribute, Rukia?" he asked.

_Yes!_ she thought to herself, all the while shaking her head vehemently.

"As I was saying, arrangements could be made to have everything prepared by next month," he continued matter-of-factly.

"Next month?" she repeated faintly. And again, she found herself the center of attention.

"Rukia?" her brother inquired.

And again, she found the words she wanted to say, were desperate to say, stuck at the back of her throat. Her panicked look must have made itself known to her brother, however, because his next words were—

"Is a month not enough time to prepare?" he asked her, his head tilted to one side.

"Oh, but you may leave all the preparations to me and my servants," answered Sanada for her. "I understand how busy shinigami captains and vice-captains are so you can leave all the details to me." He peered at her through his glasses. "You need not worry, Rukia. There are enough females in our clan that can take care of the bridal matters such as the kimono and other attires and such."

Kimonos? Who was worrying about damn kimonos? Come to think of it, was she _supposed _to worry about kimonos?

She looked back and forth between the head Kuchiki advisor and the head of the Kuchiki clan. Both of them stared at her impassively.

"Did you have any other concerns, Rukia?" Nii-sama asked.

Concerns? Of course she had concerns! She felt…she felt like she was drowning! She had to say something…anything! Her brother just gave her an opening, for heaven's sake! If she didn't know any better, she would have said he was actually trying to help her.

"It's just that," she began slowly so as not to insult, "I had thought that the engagement would last at least a year." She gave them a sickly smile. Well, if she were totally honest, she had thought that this particular engagement would last a day before Sanada would come to realize the folly of even suggesting it.

"But what for?" asked Sanada.

She looked at him in askance.

What for? What did he mean _what for_?

"You've both lived under the same roof since you've been adopted in this clan. You're not strangers who are getting to know one another. In fact you've known each other for decades!"

She thought that maybe her eyes were beginning to widen in disbelief. This couldn't be happening to her, could it? "Ah," she agreed with a sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach. What else could she say? "What you say is true, Sanada-san."

"Well then," he continued. "As I was saying—"

And after that, she listened with half an ear to whatever else they were discussing. She didn't think they needed her input, anyway. Everything seemed to be all in order. A _yui-no_ ceremony in three days and a wedding in one month. With shinigami duties in between, she had a feeling that if the hollows don't kill her first, then Sanada with all his infernal planning just might.

* * *

Unlike Rukia, who paid scant attention to the morning meeting they had been subjected to, Byakuya paid full attention to the words that were coming out of Sanada's mouth. While he wasn't particularly concerned about the minute details of the marriage itself, there were appearances that need to be kept up and duties that needed to be performed. Weddings were quite an event in Seireitei, and noble weddings even much more so. He almost gave a bitter laugh at the irony of it all. 

When he had married Hisana, Sanada had been one of the more vocal objectors to the union of a noble family to what he considered to be peasants. The chief advisor had eventually accepted his decision, of course, but Byakuya remembered fighting tooth and nail to get his way. And now, in a reversal of roles, Sanada was the one who was driving the union between him and Rukia. For what most likely won't be the last time, he wondered at Sanada's insistence on this marriage. While he understood the need for an heir eventually, this _was_ Soul Society. There was time. He was relatively young and he had centuries ahead of him. Why push this issue forward now?

Not that it mattered. He supposed he'd always thought that he would remarry eventually. He just hadn't had the time or the energy to actively look for a suitable candidate for the job. In a way, he should probably thank the family advisors for taking it all out of his hands. At this point in his life, marriage was nothing more than a convenience. Love was the reason for it in the past, but that's over now. He had grown older and wiser. And so, as he stared at the discomfited Rukia, he wondered whether she was of the same mind. After all, why else would she agree to such a union?

Byakuya wasn't sure whether he should feel sorry or amused at the woman sitting before him. As she sat there with a glazed look in her eyes, he was reminded of…a fish. Her wide, panic-stricken eyes coupled with the constant opening and closing of her mouth all served to make him think of a fish caught in a fisherman's line. Not the most groom-like of images, to be sure, but in this case, he must be forgiven for his thoughts. It was hardly his fault that his bride-to-be seemed to be having some…difficulty accepting the pace at which Sanada had deemed appropriate for their betrothal.

He wondered whether he should feel insulted. Clearly, from the look on her face, she wasn't pleased with the unexpected speed at which the events were occurring. However, it was one thing to be surprised by such things, but quite another to let your surprise show.

Perhaps later he would remind Rukia the prudence of hiding one's thoughts.

"Is this acceptable then?" Sanada voice droned on after carefully explaining the schedule he had planned.

He nodded his head in assent and watched as his somewhat dazed fiancée did the same.

"Well then, we will take our leave at this time," he said dismissively before doing just that and leaving him alone with Rukia at the breakfast table.

He watched his soon-to-be bride furtively, noting the way she picked at the food that the servants had unobtrusively brought over during their discussions. Her mind was elsewhere, but that was nothing new. The times when they've actually encountered each other at breakfast were numerous when both of them were at home, but the number of times they had actually said anything to each other in those encounters were few and far in between. For the most part, he had been busy reading the morning reports and she had always seemed…somewhere else.

Or at least she always seemed to wish she were somewhere else.

Even living together for this long, they had never reached a point where they could be comfortable in each other's presence. A fact he never gave much thought of until Sanada had pointed their current living arrangements out as a reason for the short engagement.

He heard the clatter of chopsticks before he noticed Rukia stand up abruptly.

He looked at her inquiringly.

"I believe I shall head out now," she stated quietly. "I have a multitude of things which I must take care of for Captain Ukitake today."

"Of course," he replied. "Will you be coming home tonight?" he asked, not really out of any need to know, but more out of having nothing else to say.

He watched her hesitate before deciding on an answer.

"I'm not quite certain," she responded. "But it is more likely that I would spend the night at headquarters. There are…pressing matters which I must attend to." She paused. "I will send a message should there be any perceived delays to the plans Sanada-san has implemented."

He nodded in response, all the while wondering whether he should say something to the young shinigami. Should he warn her about the attention she would most likely receive regarding the news of their betrothal? Should he remind her to guard her thoughts so as not to expose any weakness either in her or the family? Or should he just wish her a good day at work as most families seem to do for each other?

In the end, he said nothing as he watched her retreating back. He had never said anything before and…to start now would be awkward for both of them.

Besides, old habits were hard to break.

* * *

author's notes: THANK YOU for all the wonderful reviews/encouragements/suggestions you guys have for this story. i've tried to respond to any questions that have come up by using the "reply" feature in this site. I hope those worked and and i hope i've done an adequate job of answering any concerns you might have. As always, whether you like the story or hate it, feel more than free to let me know! Til next time!  



	6. the Rumor Mill

Author's note: Once again, THANK YOU for all your support/reviews/suggestions/advice regarding this story. It's been a total inspiration to know that a lot of people enjoy this story as much as I do writing it. I've been in such a _Bleach_ craze lately (hence the quicker updates for this story) and your reviews have more than helped give me the momentum to continue with this! And so, happy reading, everyone, and see you next time!

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Six: The Rumor Mill_

**_

* * *

_**

Psst… 

Did you hear?

Sixth Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki…

Are you serious?

Thirteenth Division Vice-Captain Rukia Kuchiki…

I thought they were related!

Nah…Kuchiki by adoption…

It's sooo romantic!

But they've lived as brother and sister for years…

Decades…

Ewww…

Maybe that's why she was adopted…

Are you kidding?

No way!

After all these years?

I heard he was married before…

I heard she was from Rukongai…

I heard the wedding was _soon…_

Why so fast?

Do you think…_you know_…

With Captain Kuchiki? Nah…

He doesn't seem the type…

You know what they say…

Still waters…

This can't be true…

Who started this?

The captain's going to be pissed when he finds out we're spreading false tales…

The captain's going to be upset when she finds out we're gossiping about…

But it's true!

I heard that vice-captain Abarai…

No!

And vice-captain Kurosaki…

Really!

Fourth division seated officers were seen leaving…

I heard it from another division who heard it from one of his teammates…

I heard it from one of the guards who overheard it from someone down the street…

One of the servants at the Kuchiki main house told me that she heard at breakfast this morning…

* * *

When Rukia entered the thirteenth division headquarters, she noticed the familiar silence that descended when she walked through the hallways and passed by the rooms. She could see the averted gazes after their greetings as well as the quick glances everyone sent one another. She sighed. It was amazing how the very atmosphere brought back memories of the first time she walked through these halls as a new recruit. 

In the past, she had tried to avoid the snide remarks and the hurtful comments. She had pretended not to hear the whispers behind her back or the speculation that flew all around and about her. She had been used to it in her Shinigami Academy days once her adoption to the Kuchiki clan was announced. She hadn't been surprised when those same remarks resurfaced on the division she was assigned to. And so in those days, she had relied on Kaien-dono to smooth things over and protect her from the more malicious of jibes regarding her place in the division and her fitness as a shinigami.

But that was in the past. These days, _she_ was the vice-captain. And as much as she had wanted, no, as much as she had _ached _to be the type of shinigami that Miyako-dono was, in the end, she ended up being more like Kaien-dono.

Maybe it was due to the people she spent most of her time with.

Who knew?

She looked back at her subordinates. Attempting to place an Ichigo-like scowl on her face, she turned to face the unfortunate group of thirteenth division shinigamis who walked past her with averted eyes after their initial greeting.

"Stop right there!" she shouted, pointing at the group of four.

"V-v-v-vice-captain Kuchiki!" they saluted, turning to face her before again facing down.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked menacingly as she approached them, or at least, as menacing as her less than five feet height would allow.

"Uhh," they said almost in unison as they looked at one another for obvious help.

She smirked. There were times when being vice-captain had its perks. She looked past them and made eye contact with every single shinigami in that hallway. "I thought I taught you peons better than this!" she yelled. "What's with all these whispering behind my back?" she growled.

"Eh-heh-heh, vice-captain Kuchiki," one of the four stepped forward.

She raised a brow. _Kentaro_, her mind connected a name with the face. Switched over from the fourth division several months ago. A move that was rare since most shinigami that began with the fourth division usually stayed there for obvious reasons.

"Ano…you see," he began, "we heard this rumor." He looked back at his friends who all shook their heads at the mere suggestion that they might be the one to talk. He looked back at her. "We didn't know what to make of it and—"

"I haven't got all day, Kentaro," she said tapping her foot and making a play at being impatient. Of course she knew what the rumor was. She just wanted the sheer delight of torturing someone to repeat it to her face. She grinned. Renji and Ichigo must be really rubbing off her.

"Yes, about that," Kentaro began again.

There were times when this boy reminded her of Hanatarou. Come to think of it, wasn't it Hanatarou who recommended him for the transfer?

"Kentaro!"

"WeheardthatyouwereengagedtobemarriedtoCaptainKuchiki!" he said all in one breath.

And she would swear that she would have been able to hear the flutter of the wings of one butterfly, the hallway became that silent.

She smiled and watched as a number of shinigami stepped back. "Is that so?" she asked in a deceptively soft voice.

She watched as heads nodded hesitatingly to her question.

"Is that all?" she asked, delaying the inevitable revelation that they were waiting for.

Again, nods all around.

"Then why the hell didn't you just ask me, you damn fools, instead of walking on eggshells all this time!" she yelled, and was about to give a couple of the shinigamis a good kick in the butt when she felt herself grabbed from behind.

"Ahhh! Kuchiki-san!" Kiyone's voice rang loudly against her ear as the third seat officer trapped her in a cross between a bear hug and a glomp. "I heard from Captain Ukitake that you're getting married!" She started to bawl. "My little Kuchiki-san!"

"Our baby's all grown up!" added Sentarou, who seemed to suddenly come out of nowhere to envelope them both in his arms.

She tried to desperately extricate herself from her two officers, her two closest friends in her division, while maintaining what dignity she had left at being squished between them. She gave a brief glance at the rest of the thirteenth division and found most of them holding back their smiles. She gave a sigh of relief. At least that awkwardness was over.

"One minute she's a new recruit, the next thing you know she's a vice-captain, and now a bride-to-be!" Sentarou continued his diatribe. "Oh Kuchiki! Truly you've grown up!"

"Hey! I was going to say that!" Kiyone protested. "Kuchiki-san, I ran here as soon as I heard you're getting married. I wanted to congratulate you on the happy event! Why, I just found out right this minute!"

"We _both_ just found out," Sentarou interjected. "We were on patrol last night so we didn't hear until this morning." He paused for breath. "So," he said, "who's the lucky guy?" He gave her a big smile. "Is it Abarai or Kurosaki?"

And as soon as those words were out of his mouth, she felt and heard and saw the rest of the thirteenth division members who were their audience almost fall flat on their faces. She slapped her hand against her forehead. How even the non-seated members of her division knew who she was getting married to while her two third seat officers were clueless was beyond her.

"I thought you said Captain Ukitake told you!" she bit out.

"Well he told us you were getting married right when we arrived from patrol," Kiyone explained, "but we saw you walk in as soon as he told us and we just had to run here and congratulate you." She smiled sheepishly. "I suppose it's in bad form for us to not actually know whether you've chosen Abarai-san or Kurosaki-san, huh?"

Rukia heard the collective gasps behind her. She had a feeling that those shinigamis were trying to signal her two officers, but Kiyone and Sentarou were too focused on her.

She closed her eyes. Why did these two even _think_ that it could be Renji or Ichigo? She opened her eyes back again and found Sentarou glancing behind her. Thank the gods the man finally noticed that the people behind her were trying to tell him something. Kiyone, however, was still staring at her.

"So," she giggled. "Who's the lucky groom?"

"What the hell are those idiots doing?" asked Sentarou, finally pointing to the rest of the shinigami behind her.

She took a quick look back and saw Kentaro and friends attempting to do a poor imitation of the number six (for sixth division, maybe?) while the rest were making signs for the two third seat officers to shut up. "I think they're trying to tell you something," Rukia answered helpfully. At that point, her subordinates noticed that she was actually looking at all of them and all the signs and body languages halted abruptly.

"Hey, those guys just signed 'six,'" observed Sentarou. He grinned from ear to ear and looked at her. "Does it mean that it's Abarai, then?" he asked excitedly. "Could it be Vice-Captain Abarai from the sixth division?" He gave a loud whoop, again failing to notice the loud groans that came from the other members. "Yes! I win! You owe me dinner," he told Kiyone smugly.

"You two had a bet?" she said lowly, looking at her two supposed friends.

"Kuchiki-san!" Kiyone cried. "How can you not pick Kurosaki-san? I was so sure—"

"Give it up!" Sentarou said gleefully. "I win! We Rukongai natives have to stick together!"

"Kuchiki-san," Kiyone wailed. "I can't believe you chose that other punk!"

"Actually," interupted Captain Ukitake's voice.

Rukia looked up, surprised to find her captain up and about this early.

"She did not choose Renji-kun," he finished.

"What?" Sentarou exclaimed, his jaw dropping. He looked evilly at Kentaro and his group of friends. "I thought you guys signed 'sixth division'!" he growled at them.

"They did," verified Captain Ukitake to the confused Sentarou.

"Huh?" Sentarou and Kiyone looked at their captain in confusion.

"I thought Abarai-san was the vice-captain of the sixth division!" Kiyone cried out. "Did he get promoted somewhere else then?" she asked.

"Kiyone, Sentarou," the captain's voice sounded mildly amused. "You shouldn't have left our discussion when you did."

"But I wanted to get to Kuchiki-san!" Kiyone protested. She turned to look at her. "Does this mean you're marrying Kurosaki-san then?" she asked before turning to Sentarou. "_You _owe _me _dinner!"

"Ah…Kiyone-san," Rukia tried to get a word in edgewise before finding herself hugged again. "Ano…"

"Kiyone!" Captain Ukitake said, exasperated. He looked at the two perennial third seats and sighed. "Rukia's not engaged to either Ichigo-kun or Renji-kun," he stated as calmly as he could. He turned to look at her, as if to prompt her to say something.

"Eh?" said Kiyone and Sentarou simultaneously, their heads going back and forth between their captain and vice-captain.

"Ah," Rukia assented. She took a deep breath. "I am to marry Nii—" she paused. "I am to marry Byakuya-sama," she stated quietly. At their blanks looks, she added helpfully, "The _captain_ of the sixth division."

And again, for the second time that morning, the hall became deathly quiet as everyone digested the confirmation of the rumor of the day.

Seconds passed before finally—

"You're what!" Kiyone screeched, grabbing her by the shoulders, her eyes wide with shock and…dismay. She looked at Sentarou, Captain Ukitake and the rest of their audience before grabbing Rukia by the hand and away from prying eyes. "Girl talk!" she shouted back at them in hasty explanation, all the while bodily dragging the shorter shinigami to her side.

"Eh?" she could hear Captain Ukitake's voice rise. "Kuchiki! You make sure to come see me before the end of the day!" he called out.

Rukia nodded as she let herself be taken away by Kiyone, knowing her friend was about to give her an earful and truthfully, she would rather receive it privately instead of in front of her whole division.

* * *

"What the hell are you looking at, recruit!" Renji yelled as he noticed another idiot in his division staring at him for the umpteenth time. 

The recipient of his question quickly shook his head before backing away into some corner he could hide from. Renji almost spat the timidity that was just displayed before him. He really needed to make sure these new recruits grow a little backbone. Damn fools wouldn't have lasted a second in the eleventh division.

"Renji-san is too harsh," the young shinigami, Rikichi, stepped up next to him. "They're merely curious, you know." He grinned. "At this time, they are all wondering how best to approach you with the number one question on everyone's minds right now."

"Che," he muttered. He could guess what the question was in everyone's mind right now. "Why don't they go straight to the horse's mouth?" he asked.

The dark-haired boy gave him a disbelieving look. "Ask Captain Kuchiki a personal question?" he gasped in mock dismay. "We all barely ask Captain Kuchiki even sixth division related questions for fear he'd think us stupid and cut us up into little pieces with his Senbonzakura." He shuddered. "Not to mention the fact that he's from a _noble _house!"

"What _that _got to do with it?" he demanded.

Rikichi gave him a disbelieving look. "Oh, I suppose _you _went straight to the horse's mouth?" he asked, half in jest and half in seriousness.

"As a matter of fact," Renji replied, "I did."

"What!" he almost shouted. "You asked Captain Kuchiki if he was getting married!"

Renji thought about that question and scratched his head. It didn't escape his notice that they were now the center of attention in the sixth division's courtyard. "I guess you could say that," he answered, thinking back to last night. Okay, so maybe he didn't _exactly _say the words that asked the question, but it had been his intention to confirm it when he went to the Kuchiki main house to confront his captain. Thinking back to that whole conversation altogether, he was still kicking himself for being so damned _shocked _that Captain Kuchiki actually called Rukia his betrothed!

"Well?" Rikichi's voice said.

He looked down on the shinigami in question.

"Well don't leave all of us in suspense!" he urged, gesturing to his fellow sixth division members in the courtyard who were avidly listening in on their supposedly private conversation.

He looked away. "Why are you all so interested anyway?" he asked.

Rikichi rolled his eyes. "Well in case you didn't notice," he began, "over half the shinigami women in our division—which granted isn't much—think that our captain is actually decent looking. They've been speculating for the longest time whether he'll deign to marry someone from the _hoi polloi _again or whether he would marry a noblewoman this time around."

Renji smirked. "That doesn't explain the inordinate interest of 90 percent of our members," he retorted.

"Renji-san," Rikichi said chidingly, "of course we're all curious about our captain!" He looked at everyone around them. "He's one of the most well-known and respected captain, not to mention the most powerful shinigami ever produced in the Kuchiki line. What's not to be curious about?"

"That's just stupid," he muttered under his breath.

"Renji-san, weren't you curious enough about it that you actually went and asked him the question?" Rikichi accused. "Even you must admit to that!"

"Hah!" he scoffed. "My reason for going to Captain Kuchiki had nothing to do with him!"

"Ahhh!" Rikichi looked at him speculatively. "Then it must have to do with—"

"Shhh!" Renji interrupted him. "What are you trying to do? Announce it to the whole Gotei 13?"

"Ah, Renji-san. I think by now everyone in our division pretty much knows how you feel about Vice-Captain Kuchiki. You _did _beat most of us up on your way to try and save her from the Soukyoku a long time ago. And you dueled with _Captain Kuchiki_ as well in your efforts to reach her in time."

Renji flushed, remembering the details of that little incident.

"So," Rikichi said a little impatiently. "Is it all true then?" he asked. "Is Captain Kuchiki engaged to Vice-Captain Kuchiki?"

"Ah," he finally confirmed what they had all been waiting for.

And it was true. Rukia was engaged to his captain.

For now.

_

* * *

_

"Ichigo," a low voice called behind him.

"Chad," he greeted in surprise as he turned to look back at his approaching friend. "I haven't seen you in awhile," he said, clasping his hand in a firm handshake.

Chad nodded, falling into step beside him as they both walked down one of the many streets of Seireitei.

Knowing his friend's penchant for silence and yet curious over his recent activities, Ichigo gave Chad a sideways glance before asking, "Captain Kyouraku keeping you busy?"

"Vice-Captain Ise," he paused as if considering his words, "keeps a strict division," he replied.

Ichigo grinned, reading between the lines. It was true. Nanao Ise kept a strict division for the most part. At least, when she wasn't attempting to keep a tight rein over the antics of the eighth division captain. "You like it there?" he asked, curious.

It wasn't surprising to many that based on his strength, Chad was first assigned to the eleventh division. To Ichigo, however, he'd had his doubts on how well the pacifist would fit in with the fight-loving division and their captain. And soon enough, his doubts were confirmed when Chad had transferred away from the eleventh.

"It suits me," Chad answered, looking ahead.

"That's good," he commented. And he could see how it would. Shunsui Kyouraku was a man who did not enjoy violence. And if he had to pick between Kyouraku and Kenpachi for Chad to report to…well, the choice was pretty obvious.

They walked in silence for what seemed like awhile, but then Ichigo was used to that when it came to Chad. He was a man of few words and being a shinigami didn't change that. That was fine with Ichigo. Chad was one of the few people whom he could be around with and still be able to think clearly without their constant prattle distracting him.

"I've heard some strange talk this morning about Rukia Kuchiki," Chad finally said.

Ichigo nodded. Strange talk. It was that.

"Is it true?" Chad asked quietly.

Again, Ichigo nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Renji and I just found out last night ourselves."

"I see."

More silence as they wove past the people in the streets.

He heard a sigh beside him and he looked up to see Chad giving him a pensive stare.

"Is this alright with you?" Chad asked directly.

He looked away, not knowing how to answer that question at this time. Was it alright with him? Hell no! But was he willing to let the whole world know?

"I told Rukia it was for the best," he muttered, "when she told me that it was her choice."

"Oh?"

"And if it truly were her choice then I will abide by it." He looked up towards the distance. "However, if she tells me otherwise or if I believe that she's being pressured to do this, then I will do everything in my power to make sure she makes the right choice."

The continued to walk together in silence until their paths began to diverge. At the crossroads, Chad looked at him in the eye. "And right now?" he asked. "Do you believe that she is pressured? Without her having said anything to the contrary, do you believe that she's making the right choice?"

Ichigo looked away from his friend's intent gaze. He thought of last night and the confused Rukia that arrived for their small get-together. He thought of her drinking the sake, presumably to gain the strength to tell them about her engagement. And then thought of Renji's words and how they all seemed to fit.

He frowned. It still irked him that the tattooed vice-captain was able to make him see something he should have seen without any help.

"You don't have to answer," Chad finally said. "I just wanted you to know that whatever you do, you'll always have my support."

He looked up at Chad. Strangely enough, his friend's words filled him with foreboding. What did Chad think he'd do that he would need his support for? This is _Rukia_ for god's sake. It's only an engagement. Once they've convinced her of the sheer wrongness of it all, it should be over, right? Rukia wouldn't be getting married and things would end up how they were before. Right?

As he looked at Chad's retreating figure, however, why did he have a strange feeling that things wouldn't be quite so simple?

_

* * *

_

He watched Sentarou's eyes focus on the two rapidly disappearing figures before them. If it wasn't for the near-violence they both saw flashing in Kiyone's eyes as she said, "Girl talk!" before hauling Kuchiki away, he had a feeling that Sentarou would have followed them to _Hueco Mundo_ to get the answers to the questions he had in his own eyes. Thinking about it, perhaps he should have stopped his two third seat officers from running to greet Kuchiki before he had been able to give them the complete news. But he had wanted to see something for himself. He had followed his two officers on their way to see Kuchiki because he had wanted to be there when she told them of her decision. He had wanted to watch her eyes, observe her mannerisms as she informed them of her engagement.

He didn't know what he was looking for. He wasn't even sure what he wanted to know. But whatever it was he was searching for in Kuchiki that morning, he knew he didn't see it in the little scene before him. Something about the way she spoke and the way her eyes wavered told him that something was missing.

True, he hadn't been expecting a blushing or ecstatic bride-to-be this morning. His talk with Byakuya was enough to let him know that this marriage wasn't quite the love match that Byakuya's previous marriage was. Coming from a low-class aristocrat family with seven other siblings to support, he knew enough about family obligations to understand what drove both of them to accept the situation. Still, he had hoped for something better than the quiet acceptance he saw in Kuchiki's eyes.

"Captain," Sentarou finally said beside him. "Is this true?" he asked, his voice hoping for that denial that would never come.

"Yes," he replied. "Byakuya himself came and told me yesterday." And in such an emotionless voice that they could have been discussing the weather. He cringed, remembering his momentary speechlessness and disbelief. Of all the things Byakuya could have told him that moment, the news of his engagement with Rukia Kuchiki wouldn't have even made it on the list of possibilities.

"And Kuchiki…Vice-Captain Kuchiki has agreed to this?" Sentarou pressed.

He looked at the worried eyes of his third officer. "It would seem so," he answered as best as he could. Not that he could blame Sentarou for his concerns. Sentarou knew more than anyone the stigma that Rukia Kuchiki suffered in the early years due to her association with the Kuchiki clan. Furthermore, he wasn't sure that Sentarou ever entirely forgave Byakuya for doing nothing to prevent Rukia's execution that time long ago.

"But why?" came Sentarou's startled question. "Why should she agree to such a—" he stopped his next words as soon as Jushirou gave him a look. "That is to say this all seems so sudden! If Vice-Captain Kuchiki had been thinking about marriage, the candidates I would have expected did not include her brother by adoption."

He gave a wry grin. "Yes, I gathered that," he told his subordinate. "I think the whole division heard you."

"So what the hell is this about?" he finally burst out, clearly frustrated.

And it was a testament to the long years of friendship between the two that Jushirou Ukitake thought nothing of the casual and some would consider disrespectful way Sentarou expressed his disbelief to his captain. "After thinking about it last night," he began, "I think it could be a good match."

"What!"

"For Byakuya, at least," he added. And it was true. After spending a sleepless night in concern for his vice-captain and his former kohai, he had come to the conclusion that Byakuya at least was lucky in terms of the arrangement. In all the years he'd known Byakuya, the only woman he'd shown any ounce of concern for—not counting Hisana—had been Rukia. That's why it made some sort of sense that Sanada Kuchiki had grasped on to that fact and recommended Rukia for the marriage.

"Well of course!" Sentarou said loyally. "_Anyone _would be lucky to get Vice-Captain Kuchiki as a wife."

"Unfortunately," he stated, "we both know that the rest of Soul Society won't feel that way." Once again, there would be gossip, mostly from people who didn't know Rukia. They would claim how extremely _lucky_ she was to have gotten the attention of a nobleman not only in adoption by now in marriage as well.

"Who cares about the rest of those boogers?" Sentarou declared. He looked at his captain. "But we're getting side-tracked here. How can this be a good match for Kuchiki when there are others who…others who love her more?"

Jushirou smiled ruefully. "Gossip again, Sentarou?" he asked.

His friend looked at him in askance. "Everyone _knows _that it was only a matter of time before either the first or sixth division vice-captains made their move," he said mater-of-factly. "The big surprise is the fact that they hadn't yet even after all these years." He frowned. "Those damn fools! What the hell were they waiting for?"

"It is their loss then," he stated softly. And it was. From what he'd seen, he believed that Rukia would have made a suitable match with either of those men, too. Now that she's connected to Byakuya, however, his mind began to explore the possibilities that maybe, just maybe, given time, this match might turn out to be for the best.

"Maybe she can still get out of it?" Sentarou said hopefully. "It's just an engagement, after all."

"That's not going to happen," he said flatly. He turned to look at his officer with serious eyes. "An engagement within the nobility, as soon as it is announced and decided as this one has been, has the same weight as that of a marriage. Death is the only way to break this engagement without losing face." He looked closely at Sentarou. "Do you understand?" he asked. "It would be seen as a breach of contract to call this wedding off. And Rukia will be the one to suffer because of it. Byakuya is protected by the wall of nobility he was born into, and Rukia will bear the brunt of it all."

"But…but…"

"Sentarou," he said softly. "There is nothing we can do now but support our vice-captain's decision." He smiled. "Surprised?" he asked. "In the end, it was her decision, too, you know. The Kuchikis would not have been able to proceed with this without her consent."

"I see."

"But," he continued. "You shouldn't worry too much." Even as he said it, he knew that he himself wouldn't follow his advice. While he wasn't too concerned about Byakuya, Rukia Kuchiki was another matter. Surrounded by well-meaning friends who no doubt would disapprove of her choice, would Kuchiki be able to rise above it all and see the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she could melt the heart that her sister had inadvertently frozen? With this marriage, would she finally be able to accept the family that adopted her?

_

* * *

_

To be continued.


	7. Girl Talk

Author's note: I'm not sure whether I should have been putting spoiler warnings in this story of mine as it does take a lot of information from the manga, which is ahead of the anime. So, for those who've only seen the anime, please note that there may be references here that are manga based. You can ask me about them if you would like an explanation, but just be warned that you may be spoiled when I answer your question.

Also, please don't read past the "To be continued" line in the end if you don't want me to spoil you for ep. 93 of anime.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Seven: Girl Talk_

* * *

"I don't think anyone can see us anymore," she said plaintively to the girl intent on taking her far, far away. "I don't think anyone can hear us over here either," she added, more loudly this time as she tugged at her arm which happened to be in the process of being yanked out of its socket. "Kiyone!" 

Kiyone stopped abruptly, forcing Rukia to run into her clumsily and painfully. "Kuchiki-san," Kiyone said her eyes fiery. "Rukia," she addressed more familiarly now that they were alone in the courtyard.

Rukia looked up to her friend, noting the clamping of her lips and the tightening of her hand against hers. "Kiyone," she said gently. "I'm alright."

"It's true then," she stated, her eyes still blazing. "What you said back there is true."

She nodded hesitantly, unsure exactly as to why her friend seemed more than upset. "I could hardly joke about Nii-sama," she said ruefully. No. Even in her wildest dreams or flights of fancy, a marriage to Nii-sama would have just been too bizarre for someone like her to even come up with. Suddenly she found herself looking up at her friend as Kiyone grabbed her shoulders once more and leaned against her.

"But why?" she cried. "Isn't this the same brother who you barely talk to in all the years you've lived with him?" At Rukia's nod, she continued. "The same brother who did absolutely nothing when you were sentenced to die by Soukyoku?" Again at Rukia's nod, she continued to list more faults and transgressions—real and imagined—that she could think of to lay upon Byakuya Kuchiki's feet.

"Ne, Kiyone," Rukia finally said after another bout of nodding. "You're not exactly making me feel better about this whole situation."

"Who's trying to make you feel better?" Kiyone almost shrieked. "Rukia-chan!" she wailed. "Why did you agree to this…this…this travesty? Captain Kuchiki is such a cold, cold man. Geez…I bet he'd freeze you faster than Sode no Shirayuki!"

Rukia smiled. "I really must object to your portrayal of Nii-sama," she said, although she couldn't help but chuckle at the comparison.

"And that's another thing!" Kiyone pounced. "He's your _brother. _You can't even help but call him 'Nii-sama.' Isn't that kinda weird?"

She bit her lip. Okay, so she really did need to stop the whole 'Nii-sama' way of addressing her brother. Given the circumstances, it was kind of…well as Kiyone said, it was really weird. "He's not my _real_ brother," she relayed her usual defense. "He's more like my brother-in-law, really." Too bad she hadn't quite convinced herself fully of that. How on earth was she supposed to undo decades and decades of calling him 'Nii-sama'?

"Yeah, but you know what I mean, Rukia!" Kiyone protested.

She sighed. "Yes, I do," she conceded. "But Kiyone, at the same time, while I've always called him my brother, I can't say that I feel all that sisterly towards him."

"Eh?" Kiyone's voice rose. "What do you mean? You don't have some sort of crush on him, do you?" She looked at her with wide and panicked eyes. "Rukiaaaaa! Didn't we have this talk about unrequited love before?"

"No!" she denied, blushing. "I mean, 'no,' I don't have a crush on Nii-sama and 'yes,' we've had the talk about unrequited love before." Crush on Nii-sama? The very thought seemed alien and well…embarrassing. "What I meant was, Nii-sama and I aren't really that close!" she tried to explain as she attempted to stem the red flush that crept up her cheeks. "Not like you and Isane or…or…or Ichigo and his sisters." She took a deep breath. "Nii-sama's more like…a stranger than anything else." She licked her lips. "So really, it's as if I'm marrying a stranger instead of a brother." She smiled weakly. "That's less weird, right?"

"A stranger?" Kiyone's said suspiciously. "I thought you said things were better at home after that whole incident with your near execution?"

"They were better!" she defended herself, flushing again. So maybe, just maybe, she might have exaggerated just a little bit when she told Kiyone that Nii-sama was slightly more approachable that time after the whole debacle with Aizen. "But Kiyone, to say that things were better than before is like saying that at least one desert is not as dry as another. In the end, they're both deserts with little or no rain." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "And in the end, Nii-sama is still Nii-sama," she shrugged.

Kiyone was silent for a moment. "Why did you never tell me this?" she asked quietly. "It sounds like a very lonely home, Rukia-chan."

"Kiyone," Rukia smiled at her friend's concern. "I'm never home enough for it to make too much of a difference. And whenever I'm here at the thirteenth division headquarters, I have you and Sentarou. To be honest, I've always thought of the two of you as my older brother and sister anyway that I rarely missed the companionship even when I'm at home at the Kuchiki main house."

And with that, she suddenly found herself in the receiving end of another fierce hug from Kiyone. "Rukia-chan," she cried softly. "That's one of the nicest things anyone has ever told me," she said in tears. "And I bet that is _the _nicest thing anyone has ever said about Kotsubaki as well," she declared.

She smiled, returning her friend's fierce embrace. "It's true, though," she confirmed. And it was. Even back in the days of Kaien-dono as vice-captain of their division, Kiyone and Sentarou had always been there for her.

"Now, then," Kiyone said, pulling away a little. "Why don't you tell your Nee-san why exactly you let yourself be talked into this whole Kuchiki engagement fiasco."

Rukia gave her a mock glare and a slight push. "You have a one-track mind, did you know that?"

"You think so?" she asked. "Kotsubaki says just the opposite." Keeping one arm around her shoulders, Kiyone began to walk them again. "Now tell me exactly what happened. Don't spare me the details; I just want to know how you got scammed into this."

Rukia winced at her friend's choice of words. "I wasn't scammed," she declared defensively. "Nii-sama and the Kuchiki advisors presented me with this proposition late yesterday afternoon and I agreed with it."

"That's it!" she shrieked again. "One day you're a single shinigami minding her own business and enjoying the single life and the next thing you know you're going to be tied down to Soul Society's most unfeeling and emotionally stunted—"

"Kiyone!" she groaned.

"Okay, okay," she muttered. "Sheesh. I'm just saying." She closed her eyes and sighed before opening one eye and peering down at Rukia. "Well at least he's good-looking," she said slyly.

Rukia choked. Or at least she would have had she been in the process of eating or drinking or even swallowing her own saliva. "Kiyone!" she sputtered.

"What!" she asked. "Like you never thought about it?"

Rukia looked at her in surprise. "Well, no," she replied honestly. "He was supposed to be my brother."

"Well," Kiyone pondered, "what about now?"

"What about now?"

"He's now you're fiancée, stupid," Kiyone informed her. "You're allowed to think about him that way. In fact, don't you think it's important that you start thinking about him that way?"

Rukia stared at her with an mouth open. "I'm…I'm not really sure what the proper answer to that question would be," she said slowly, her mind racing at the new possibilities.

"Well, don't you think he's at least good-looking?" Kiyone asked, reminding her very much of…a manga she recently read.

"No!" she denied quickly. Thinking of Nii-sama that way was just…wrong, wasn't it?

"What!" Kiyone exclaimed in surprise. "Liar!" she accused. "If ever Byakuya Kuchiki had a good point, it's in his looks. Even Isane-nee-san has commented on it, not to mention Matsumoto when she's not talking about how _healthy_ Kurosaki-san and Abarai-san look in their shinigami robes. Or out of it, for that matter."

"Oh for the love of—" Rukia paused, carefully trying to gauge what to say next while at the same time trying to stem the mental picture that Kiyone's words projected. "These are my brother and my friends we're talking about! I'd really rather not know if other women are fantasizing about them that way." And no, she most certainly did _not _want to know if Matsumoto had seen any of them out of their shinigami robes.

"Whatsa matter?" Kiyone asked playfully. "Jealous?"

And again, Rukia flushed. Damn her pale complexion! "I am not!" she answered, flustered. She wasn't! She _wasn't_!

"I wonder, Rukia-chan, are you jealous for Byakuya Kuchiki or Ichigo Kurosaki or Renji Abarai?" she said in a singsong voice.

"I am _not _jealous!" she declared hotly, all the while looking around to make sure no one overheard this very silly and quite embarrassing conversation. "What's there to be jealous of?" she demanded.

"Hmmm…"

"What?"

"You're blushing quite painfully, Rukia-chan," Kiyone observed giddily. She leaned closer, until only inches separated her mouth from Rukia's ear. "Now tell me, if it wasn't for this silly little engagement of yours…would Kotsubaki be buying me dinner or would I be the one paying for the meal?"

"Kiyone!" she protested again. How many times had she said her friend's name in exasperation? "Is that bet all you can think of?" She frowned. "First of all, Renji and Ichigo and I are just friends!" She wasn't quite sure herself how it ended up that way, but somewhere between fighting hollows, arrancars and shinigamis with god complexes, a bond had forged between her, Ichigo, and Renji. "Which really brings me to my next point," she said slowly before grabbing her third seat officer by the robes. "What the hell were you thinking betting on something like that?"

"Eh-heh-heh," Kiyone attempted to laugh it off. "Come on, Rukia! Don't you think you've led the two of them enough of a merry chase? Everyone, and I mean _everyone,_ had expected you to choose one of them by now."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she huffed. Really? Was that really what everyone thought? Had she been oblivious to the speculation that surrounded her and her friends? Her eyes narrowed. "Have you been going through my manga again?" she asked instead. "What do you think this is, some sort of cheesy love triangle?"

"Hrm…with Byakuya Kuchiki in the equation, can we still consider this a love triangle?" Kiyone asked thoughtfully. "It's not a love square because I think that would entail at least one of your boys being interested in one another as well…" her voice drifted.

"Argh!" she was close to pulling her hair out. Where did Kiyone get these ideas? "Have you been drinking already, Kiyone?" she asked frustrated. "You've just gotten back from patrol, dammit! When did you find the time?"

"Hey!" Kiyone protested. "I haven't had a drop, I tell you." Her eyes twinkled. "Although, on the way back here, I heard that two fourth division seated officers were seen leaving Abarai-san's apartment last night. It seems that an inordinate amount of sake might have been involved."

Rukia gulped.

No. Oh no. It got out.

_Of course_ it got out. When did this sort of thing ever stay in one room?

She was going to kill Ichigo and Renji. She couldn't believe those two morons had not one but two seated officers from the fourth division treat her!

More importantly, she was going to _die_. Nii-sama was going to hear about this and she's going to get another lecture on the proper behavior of a Kuchiki. She could already hear what he was going to say as well as what Sanada-san was going to say. Everyone was going to be appalled, and the Kuchikis would once more say how unfit she was to be adopted—

Wait a minute.

Okay, so let's say it did reach Nii-sama's ears as well as the rest of the Kuchikis. What would be the worst thing that could happen? Besides the lectures she was sure to be in for, what other consequence could there be? Well for one thing, they could get so disgusted with her behavior that they might…maybe break an engagement?

But, that's good, right?

It wasn't as if she _wanted _this engagement. Thinking back to it, didn't Sanada-san practically browbeat her into accepting this right then and there? It wasn't as if she had any desire for a marriage between her and Nii-sama. It was all done for the family. And she was sure, quite sure, that Nii-sama felt the same.

She shook her head. What was she even thinking? Would she really be willing to embarrass the Kuchiki family in order to get out of a union she had already given her word to?

She cursed.

"Ruuukia-chan!" Kiyone's voice called to her.

Startled, she opened her eyes to see Kiyone looking at her with concern while waving her hands in front of her face.

"Are you alright, Rukia-chan?"

She licked her lips. "Of course!" she replied with a smile that she would have called sickly had she seen it herself. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you went a little spacey there for a second," Kiyone muttered, putting a hand against her forehead. "You don't seem sick," she said under her breath.

Rukia pushed her hand away. "I'm fine," she stated, suddenly feeling a bout of déjà vu. "Really," she emphasized, afraid that Kiyone might suddenly get it into her head to call for the fourth division. That was all she needed at this time—another fourth division incident. "I was just thinking what Nii-sama's going to say when he hears all this gossip," she improvised.

Kiyone snorted. "What can he say?" she asked airily. "It's partially his fault for agreeing to this sudden engagement anyway. Speaking of which, have you decided on a wedding date, yet?"

She nodded. "Funny you should ask," she stated. "We were just discussing that very this morning."

"Oh?" she commented. "I suppose that makes sense. So, when's the big day?"

"Sometime next month," she replied.

"…"

"The _yui-no _is in three days," she added just for good measure.

"…"

"Everything should be ready by then according to Sanada-san."

"…"

"Ne, Kiyone," Rukia began to be concerned at her friend's lack of response. "Are you alright?"

"Kuchiki-san," Kiyone's voice finally came through, startling Rukia with her use of her adoptive family name.

At that point, Rukia found herself to be the recipient of two death grips on her shoulders.

"Kuchiki-san," Kiyone said again with a forced smile on her face. "I need you to tell me…real slow this time…when the wedding is."

She bit her lip. "Next month," she replied promptly.

Kiyone gave a small laugh. "See, Kuchiki," she said patiently, "I don't think I heard you right so I'll ask again. And this time, you have to answer very slowly, so that I can understand you, okay?"

"Okay," she responded, a small smile lurking on the corner of her mouth. "Wedding…Is…Next…Month."

"Next month?"

Rukia found herself shaken by the two hands that gripped her shoulders. "Next…Month," she reiterated slowly, as ordered, despite the fact that her head was wobbling from being shaken. Strangely enough, seeing her friend's disbelieving reaction made her feel a little better about her own…surprise?...utter amazement and disbelief?...shock?...when she first heard of the timeline.

"What do you mean it's 'next month'!" Kiyone screeched.

She gave a helpless shrug. "I don't decide these things," she said as a way of explanation. "I just found out myself today if you can believe that." And she could see from her friend's expression that she couldn't. To be honest, the whole thing was happening to _her _and even she couldn't believe it. "They said that since Nii-sa…Byakuya-sama and I have known each other for," she hiccupped, "for…for _decades_ that there's no reason to wait." She was getting married _next month_. Was it just now sinking in?

"But…but…barring the fact that it's _your_ wedding and the fact that it's a total shock to everyone—yourself included—what about all the preparations? This is a noble wedding, for crying out loud! You can't be expected to put it all together in a month!"

"I'm not…I'm not expected to," she said quietly. "Sanada-san has said that he will arrange everything. Including my kimonos!" she added, thinking back to his nonsensical comment at the breakfast table. She still couldn't believe that they thought she was worried about what she was going to _wear_.

"But…but…but…"

"I don't believe this!" Rukia cried. "Are you speechless?" she teased her friend.

"But that's just wrong!" Kiyone protested vehemently, throwing her hands up in the air. "It's your wedding, your future! Don't you think you should have some sort of say in it?"

As a matter of fact, she did think she should have some sort of say in it. But for some reason, whenever confronted by the Kuchikis—

"Why do you always wimp out whenever Byakuya Kuchiki or the rest of those Kuchikis ask something from you?" Kiyone demanded, giving voice to her own question.

She didn't know. She couldn't answer a question she'd asked herself so many times before. Why couldn't she say something to Sanada-san during breakfast this morning? Or forget this morning, what about yesterday? Why did she just stand there like a dummy and agree to their proposal?

"I mean," Kiyone continued, her hands to her hips, "I've seen you stand toe-to-toe with Abarai-san and Kurosaki-san. I've seen you boss this whole division around including me and sometimes even Captain Ukitake. But dammit! When it comes to the Kuchikis, you're like putty in their hands! They say 'jump!' and you say 'how high?' They say 'let's have a wedding!' and you say…what? 'When?'" She paused for breath before pushing Rukia with a pointed finger and advancing menacingly. "It's like they have some sort of weird hold on you," she declared. She looked closely at Rukia. "Do they?"

"Huh?"

"Do they have some weird hold on you that we don't know about?" she asked suspiciously. "Did they pressure you? Are you being blackmailed?"

"No!" Why did everyone always think that? Didn't Ichigo ask her the very same question last night?

"Then why do you give in so easily?" she asked softly, turning serious all of a sudden. "Why don't you give them the same hell you give all of us?"

She looked away. "They're my _family, _Kiyone," she replied abruptly.

"That's right," Kiyone agreed. "They're your family." She remained silent for awhile. "Rukia-chan, do you even know what that means?"

"Of course I do!" she protested, looking back at her.

"Sometimes, Rukia, I really do wonder," she sighed. "You know—" her words trailed.

She looked up, noticing the lull in what she knew was supposed to be a lecture, and found Kiyone distracted by something behind her.

"Kotsubaki," Kiyone muttered under her breath. "Kotsubaki, you get out from behind that bush right now you eavesdropping jerk!"

Rukia looked behind her to find a sheepish Sentarou jumping out of the bushes followed by…

"Captain?" she mouthed, her eyes widening as she saw her white-haired thirteenth division captain following closely behind Sentarou with a big, innocent grin across his face.

"Didn't I call this 'girl-talk'?" Kiyone raged beside her just before jumping and placing Sentarou on a choke-hold. "What part of 'girl' and 'talk' did you not get, stupid?"

"Arrghh!" Sentarou cried out. "Get off me, monkey-girl!" he yelled out as he attempted to get some semblance of control of his body while it was jerked and pulled at by Kiyone. "Kuchiki," he gasped as he hobbled towards her, "I wanted to say that you have my full support in whatever you do," he heaved.

"Eh!" Kiyone's voice rose. "I was going to say that!" she shouted. "Eventually," she added, smiling gently at Rukia before pulling at more of Sentarou's goatie. "What do you think you're doing interrupting my moment with Kuchiki-san! I was about to say something really wise and mature!"

"You copy-cat monkey!" he growled. "Like you can ever say anything remotely wise that you didn't copy from me!"

Rukia smiled at her friends' antics. They've done this since she came to the thirteenth division, and she had a feeling they would keep doing it for as long as she remained.

"Kuchiki."

She turned her gaze to her captain.

"A _yui-no _in three days, is it?" he asked, his focus seemingly on the two third seat officers.

"Ah," she replied, following his lead. How long had he and Sentarou been listening to her and Kiyone?

"I will, of course, be there," he stated, giving her a sideways glance.

"Thank you for your time," she answered formally. "The Kuchikis appreciate your flexibility regarding our sched—"

"Kuchiki," he warned, giving her a supercilious look, "you start sounding like those other stuffed-shirt Kuchikis—and yes, I'm including Byakuya—and I'm going to have to demote you and send you to the eighth division where you can help Vice-Captain Ise keep track of Shunsui."

She bit her lip to hold back a smile.

"That's better," he said, before looking back at Kiyone and Sentarou. "You should know that I've asked Unohana to help you with the minute details." He glanced back at her. "Including what you would need for the _yui-no._"

She looked up at him.

"I knew it was going to be soon," he told her, "although not quite as soon as Sanada Kuchiki had planned. I've talked to Unohana last night and she had agreed to lend us her expertise." He turned to face her fully. "I thought perhaps you might find a woman's influence in these matters more comfortable."

She gave him a teasing grin. "Oh? It has nothing at all to do with the supposed excessive amount of shopping that a bride-to-be must do before her wedding?" She gave him a full-blown smile. "I heard your two sisters ran you ragged when they got married."

"Let's not discuss that further," he muttered, shuddering. "Be that as it may, Unohana has kindly offered her services to us so let's not waste it. I believe she said she'll be coming here to talk to you sometime today."

Rukia nodded. "I shall be sure to thank her then," Rukia said, wondering what else she could say to the fourth division captain. She winced. Besides apologizing for taking two of her seated officers' time last night.

They stood in silence for awhile, still watching Kiyone and Sentarou, before she heard him sigh beside her.

"Kuchiki," he said, his voice low.

She looked up at him.

"I'm only going to ask this once," he stated, and if possible, his voice became even lower.

She nodded, wondering what was on her captain's mind.

"Are you sure about this?" he queried softly.

She felt her heart skip a beat. If she wasn't sure, would he help her? If she wasn't sure, could he do something? Looking at his eyes, she knew that one word from her, one single word and she would find herself without a fiancé and without a wedding to worry about. She didn't know how he would do it, only that he would find a way despite all the consequences that such an action might entail.

She opened her mouth to express her doubts. She opened her mouth to confess her concerns. She opened her mouth, but neither words of doubt nor concern spilled forth. Instead, her heart felt lighter with the knowledge that her captain and her friends supported her decision no matter what. So, in response to his query, she took one of his hands with both of her own and said softly, "Thank you." And that was all she needed to say.

To be continued.

* * *

More author's notes: SPOILER. Do not read past this line if you don't want to know what I have to say about ep. 93. 

Okay, maybe I'm reaching…but damn! Was that a B x R moment near the end or what? Even if it wasn't, I'm going to pretend that it was because it is the single most B X R moment I have ever seen in the anime. I'm loving it so much, that I'm willing to forgive this damn Bount arc that had Rukia being all helpless and crap in some of the previous episodes.


	8. the Alternative Engagements

Author's note: many thanks to Haritori for beta support.

* * *

**  
Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Eight: The Alternative Engagements_

* * *

Despite all evidence to the contrary, Byakuya Kuchiki was more than aware of the rumors that ran rampant, not just within his division but within all the halls of Seireitei itself, regarding his somewhat startling betrothal to one Rukia Kuchiki. He knew when he agreed to the engagement yesterday that the news would have already traveled far and wide by the time morning came. He also knew that due to the nature of his position, as both the head of his clan and the sixth division captain, the gossipmongers would have a field day speculating on the reasons and wherefores of such an event. Fortunately, his position also entailed that none but the boldest of shinigamis would even dare approach him with their conjectures. As a result, he knew that he could go about his day with fairly little to no interruptions from his routine. 

What he did not expect was for his first appointment of the day to be late. Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai, the General-Commander of the Gotei 13 was known, not only for his strength as a shinigami, but also for his punctuality and readiness. This trait stemmed from his own obsessive need to have a society of order and rules. So, to be made to wait in the tearoom by the Commander-General of the Gotei 13 was mildly surprising.

Surprise turned to slight irritation, however, when Byakuya realized just how busy the hallway outside the said tearoom was. Why the first division captain chose this tearoom to meet in instead of his office was beyond Byakuya's understanding. However, as the minutes ticked by, he began to wonder if the semi-public meeting place was deliberate. While the normal comings and goings of other shinigamis hardly concerned him, their topic of discussion as they unknowingly passed by him outside the tearoom was the very subject he had hoped to avoid, if at all possible, for the whole day.

"_They say that the Kuchiki family advisors decreed it!"_

He tilted his head and almost nodded at the accuracy of that statement. It was almost surprising really as he had expected quite worse.

"_I heard the wedding is soon."_

He let his mind wander, with the constant chatter outside serving as background noise. He didn't really care for their topic and saw no reason to pay attention.

"_They're all scrambling about with the preparations. Heard that Sanada Kuchiki himself was in charge of the whole affair."_

He sipped his tea and wished the voices outside would speak lower so as not carry all the way to his ears. It was unfortunate that the art of discretion was lost on so many youths. As hard as he tried to listen, the voices were so loud, he was sure even people on the other floors could hear.

"_I think she must have trapped him."_

He frowned. The new set of decidedly female voices outside were ones he did not recognize. He wasn't sure whether to be offended for Rukia at being thought of as some sort of mercenary huntress or whether he should take exception to the fact they thought Byakuya Kuchiki could be trapped by such a being.

"_Well, in a way, they do sort of fit."_

"_Oh?"_

"_She has an ice-type zanpakutou. He has an ice-type blood running through his veins."_

He closed his eyes and massaged his temples. On that one, he was quite sure that he was the one being insulted.

Where _was_ the Commander-General?

"_Lieutenant Abarai …"_

"_Lieutenant Kurosaki …"_

"…_Must be soo pissed."_

He would have to agree with that one, if Renji's somewhat forced felicitations last night were of any indication…

"_Maybe they were having an affair from the beginning."_

He coughed and almost turned to glare at the new offending voice beyond the curtains that served as the entrance to the tearoom. That they would even think such disgraceful thoughts—

"_She could be pregnant."_

This time he stood up. Perhaps he should search for the Commander-General instead of waiting for him patiently in here. After all, he had waited long enough and the captain of the first division was not known for being late.

With that thought in mind, he stepped out of the tearoom—

And directly into the path of three obviously new recruits from divisions not his own.

"Captain Kuchiki!" they all saluted, all of them with identical sickly expressions on their faces.

He gave them an icy look that would have been worthy of the ice that supposedly ran through his veins, according to the earlier comments by a different set of shinigamis. "Was there something you wished to say?" he asked coldly, looking down on them from his taller height.

He watched with faint amusement as they gasped and struggled and gurgled before finding the words to say that they were just passing through, that they were just leaving and that they were on their way elsewhere. He watched as they bowed before tripping all over themselves in their haste to get away from his vicinity. He watched as they ventured to look back, most notably to stare at his right hand, which happened to clutch the hilt of his sword.

He wondered if Senbonzakura would forgive him for that slight tease.

He looked across the courtyard and to the streets of Seireitei below. On a more imminent level, he wondered if his vice-captain led him astray by directing him to this tearoom. He was about to pursue the matter when a hell moth approached him.

He paused and listened to the message delivered. Had he any less discipline, he might have given an exasperated sigh. It seemed that Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai had decided on yet another change of venue.

* * *

Retsu Unohana smiled inwardly at the slight increase in her heart rate as she encountered the stern looking sixth division captain during her daily walk in these halls. 

"Captain Kuchiki," she greeted, noting his perturbed expression.

"Captain Unohana," he returned, all the while still looking at the hell moth that had just departed.

"Not bad news, I hope?" she queried as he fell in step beside her, an accident, she was sure, rather than any attempt on his part to spend more time with her.

"No," he replied, his face impassive as usual.

She sighed. A man of few words, Byakuya Kuchiki was.

"It seems congratulations are in order," she ventured as she found herself walking in the same general direction that he seemed to be going. At his sideways glance, she added, "Captain Ukitake has informed me of your impending marriage to his vice-captain."

"Ah," he confirmed. "That is so."

"I will be seeing your bride-to-be this morning," she stated quietly. She didn't know if he knew yet, and at his startled look, she told him, "Captain Ukitake has asked for my help and advice in regards to Vice-Captain Kuchiki for the next few weeks." She paused, wondering what the suddenly still captain thought of her involvement. "He and I have taken it upon ourselves to help prepare her for all the duties and responsibilities she might have before and after this union."

"I see," he replied, his eyes looking at her closely. After much thought, he seemed to come to a decision. "I thank you in advance for your time then," he told her gravely. "I'm sure I speak for Rukia also when I say that we both very much appreciate your services."

"Captain Kuchiki," she chided gently, "it is no hardship to do this small thing for Vice-Captain Kuchiki, who is a good and dear friend to several of my subordinates. As I am certain that your family is not only busy for your end of the engagement, they also have the responsibility of seeing through this event without incident. It makes perfect sense to have others help look after your fiancée's interest." She peered closely at her fellow captain. "It is why you have asked for Captain Ukitake's support, is it not?"

And that more than anything had surprised her. Not that she thought Byakuya Kuchiki to be an uncaring man. Nor did she think him incapable of acts of thoughtfulness. She, more than anyone, knew what lay behind the mask of the sixth division captain. No. What surprised her was the fact that he had actually asked Captain Ukitake to help support Rukia Kuchiki-san for the upcoming event. The Captain Kuchiki she knew rarely, if ever, asked outsiders for any favors, let alone invite them to his family's concerns.

"Ah," he replied, after another quick glance her way. "You might not see it as an imposition, but we thank you nonetheless." He paused, as if to consider his next words. "It seems that you shall once again be drawn into my family affairs," he said in an almost nonchalant manner.

Retsu nodded slowly, surprised for a second time that day. Of all the discussions she had expected to have this morning, what she had not expected was for Byakuya Kuchiki to even broach the subject of her last role with his family. In all her dealings with him since then, she had been given the impression that the subject was quite off limits.

"I don't believe I have ever thanked you," he continued, "for that last time."

She almost, but not quite, gaped at the man. Only years of discipline and meditation prevented her from such undignified behavior. At a loss for words, however, she struggled for an appropriate response. Why was it that this man always seemed to have the ability to render her speechless at the most inopportune moments?

"It was…remiss of me," he said, all the while staring at the horizon.

"I…I wasn't able to do much," she said softly, for lack of anything else to say. And it was true. She hadn't been able to do much that time.

"You were given a hopeless cause by a member of a noble family," he stated. "You were dragged into a situation which had no happy ending in sight." He looked at her then. "I knew that even as I asked for your help then."

She winced at the memory. She had also known then that all her efforts would be in vain. She had known the moment she had stepped into the Kuchiki main house that night decades and decades into the past; she had known that death would follow her on her way out. And yet despite that, despite the fact that she had known that all her skills would be useless, she had tried so _hard _to bring about that miracle. She had pulled out all the stops, and even made herself sick, in the process of attempting to heal a woman intent on dying.

In the end, she knew she had wanted to save Hisana for him. For all his efforts in bringing her to his clan. For all the objections and hurdles he had to overcome. For all the sacrifices to his family honor he had to make. But most of all, she had wanted to save her for the strength of love she had seen burning in his eyes back in those days when he first brought Hisana to the Kuchiki clan.

She had wanted a happy ending for him.

"And so…I would like to express my thanks for your hard work and effort on my behalf. Late as it is."

She nodded. For what else could she say? What could she say to the man who had appeared before her door late one evening that time long ago, begging for her help? What could she say to the man who now gave her his thanks despite the fact that he was also the same man whose wife she had been unable to save?

"And you have my gratitude for any future aid you will no doubt give to my betrothed," he finished.

She looked at him closely as she tucked an imaginary stray strand of her hair behind her ear. For some reason, she had not expected the word 'betrothed' to fall so smoothly from his lips either. She gave him a smile. "There's no need," she said softly. "I am glad to be a part of a more joyous occasion for your family this time."

And it was true. Back then, she had hoped that the next involvement she had with the Kuchiki family would be under better circumstances. Given her role as a healer, however, she knew how unlikely that would have been, as the only time people ever sought her out usually entailed an illness of sorts.

Now, years later, she was being given another chance.

He nodded, looking at her with his coal black eyes. "If there is anything you need of me," he offered, "please do not hesitate to ask."

At her slight nod of acknowledgement, he took his leave, while she found herself staring at the slowly retreating figure before her. She bit her lip. This might just be the single most conversation she'd had with him in a very long time. They had been friends once, a long time ago. Before he was even a captain, before he even met Hisana. It was a tenuous friendship, not surprising given the wary nature of Kuchikis in general, but she had thought him her friend nonetheless.

She wondered…she wondered if he ever knew why his clan—most especially Sanada Kuchiki—had objected so vehemently to his marrying Hisana. Shaking her head over what-could-have-beens, she tried not to dwell on that night when Sanada Kuchiki had first approached her with a possibility of an alliance with the Kuchiki clan over a century ago.

* * *

Byakuya was more than tempted to glare at the man before him, a man he respected since his days in the Shinigami Academy and even to this day. 

"Am I to understand then that you had already approached the Shiba clan regarding this now defunct plan of yours?" he asked, carefully controlling the intonation of his voice.

"That is correct," Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai replied, as he sat down behind his desk and glared at him.

Byakuya took a deep breath. Obviously, the Commander-General had no such restraint when showing his displeasure of him and the Kuchikis in general.

When the hell moth had informed him that the he was to meet the first division captain in his office instead, he had been mildly curious at the inconvenience. Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai was not a man known for changing his mind or being caught unawares. Arriving at the first division headquarters just moments after Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai had piqued his curiosity enough for him to inquire as to the nature of his lateness.

Now, he wasn't quite sure whether he should have kept his mouth shut instead.

"Why was I not informed of this sooner?" he asked steadily, and congratulated himself of that fact.

"To be completely honest, I foresaw no objection on your part," Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai said in a somewhat tired voice. "You have always followed the rules, have always done what was right for Soul Society." He looked up from his sitting position. "I didn't want to insult you, in case the Shiba clan unequivocally refused."

"So our meeting today was supposed to be—"

"The finalization of the alliance," he answered. "I was going to approach you with the proposition today, along with Kukaku Shiba's consent."

"I see," he stated tonelessly.

"Instead, I had to go to Rukongai early this morning to let her know—just in case she didn't—that a betrothal between Rukia Kuchiki and Ganju Shiba was now impossible."

"Ganju Shiba," he repeated.

"Well, I hardly thought an engagement between you and Kukaku would have any chance of happening without one of you killing the other," Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai said wryly. "If I was going to unite the Kuchiki clan with the Shiba clan, the best candidates were both your siblings."

"I see," he said again in an attempt to stem the flow of questions that rushed through his mind. Instead he asked, "Is there a reason for this seemingly sudden desire to ally the two clans?" while he recovered from the near shock of the possibility of having Ganju Shiba as his brother-in-law.

"I thought it would strengthen Soul Society to have the noble family of Shiba back into the fold," he replied. "One of the best ways to do that would be through an alliance with another noble family."

"And you chose mine," Byakuya said flatly.

He took a deep breath. "They're a strong clan, Byakuya. And it's a waste to have none of them as part of the Gotei 13."

"I think they've had enough of us shinigamis after Kaien," he said. "It was their choice to move to Rukongai and away from Seireitei and the rest of the shinigami."

"A choice done in the height of grief," Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai returned. "Kaien Shiba loved being a shinigami. That prodigy wouldn't have wanted his family to exile themselves because of his death."

"Be that as it may, I am sure that there are other ways to officially have the Shiba clan back as one of the noble families," he reasoned.

"Not one quite as convenient as a marriage between Rukia Kuchiki and Ganju Shiba," the General-Commander muttered. He peered up at Byakuya. "I don't suppose there's any use for me to hold onto hope that this betrothal of yours is nothing more than a product of someone's fervid imagination?"

He almost smiled. "Not unless you want accuse Sanada Kuchiki of having a fervid imagination," he replied.

Yamamoto frowned. "And that's another thing," he said thoughtfully. "I find it strange that Rukia Kuchiki suddenly finds herself betrothed—to you, for that matter—only days after I've informed Sanada Kuchiki of my plans with the Shiba clan." He raised a brow. "Quite coincidental, isn't it?"

"You've discussed this with Sanada-san?" he asked, surprised. Why that old dog…

"Not too much of the particulars," he replied. "Just the possibility of uniting the two clans. I had not mentioned the individuals I had in mind."

"I see," he said again. He seemed to say that a lot in this conversation. Still, this shed new light on the actions of the Kuchiki advisor. Sanada Kuchiki never did approve of Kukaku Shiba, much less her younger brother despite their noble connections.

"Well, none of it matters now," he all but growled. "I've spoken to Kukaku Shiba. She seemed disbelieving at first, I must admit. It seems that she and Rukia see each other often enough that she had found it strange not to have any prior warning."

Byakuya nodded. He knew that Rukia visited Kaien's sister when she found the chance. From what he could gather, the two seem to enjoy reminiscing about the eldest Shiba sibling. Thinking about it, that was probably why Kukaku Shiba had even agreed to the arrangement. Despite everything that happened between Rukia and Kaien, Kukaku Shiba _liked _Rukia and wouldn't have minded her for a sister-in-law.

"She has known Rukia for a long time," was the only thing he said. "I believe they met officially right after Rukia's near execution by the Soukyoku."

"Ah," he said in response.

And silence reigned for awhile. Byakuya knew that like him, the first division captain carried his share of guilt over that incident in Soul Society.

"Well then," the General-Commander finally said, "that's all I have for today." He paused. "And of course, I wish you well on your betrothal," he added, almost as an afterthought.

"I thank you," he replied, before giving a slight bow and turning his back to leave.

"You will, of course, keep me updated on its progress," Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai threw out.

This time, Byakuya indulged himself with a chuckle. Trust the General-Commander not to give up until everything was actually finalized.

"Not to worry," he replied, "I will."

And with that, he took his leave and exited the office. There were things he needed to do today, not to mention an impromptu appointment he wanted to have with the current Kuchiki advisor. Thinking about it, he wondered whether he should be thanking Sanada or reprimanding him for his interfering ways.

Deep in thought, he barely noticed the orange-haired shinigami until he was almost upon him.

"Byakuya," he heard his name called out tersely.

He looked up to find the burning gaze of one Ichigo Kurosaki.

He should have expected to run into the vice-captain of the first division, especially since he was in the first division headquarters. For some reason, however, he really hadn't thought of it much. He closed his eyes and began to rub his temple once again. The day only needed _this_.

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

more author's notes: another update from my continuing _Bleach_ craze. I'd like to take this time to thank all the reviewers! It's a total rush to hear from you guys. I hope this chapter answered some of the questions you've had from the beginning. As I've mentioned to some of you, this story is progressing slower (plot wise, not update wise) than I had anticipated. Hopefully, you stick with me to the very end. 


	9. Breaking Point

author's note: a big thank you to haritori for her speedy beta.

* * *

**  
Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Nine: Breaking Point_

* * *

_  
_

After accepting more hesitant congratulations from her subordinates in her division, Rukia finally walked into her office and welcomed the silence that greeted her. She leaned against the closed door and closed her eyes. Her head was pounding. While she could still hear the bustle of activity outside, the physical separation provided by the sliding door, as well as the walls of her office, was enough to give her the feeling of isolation she so desperately wanted at this point. For as much as she loved Kiyone, Sentarou, her captain, and the rest of her division, she didn't know whether she was prepared to answer any more questions or respond to any more awkward congratulations. As strange as it might seem, the only thing she really wanted to do right now was bury herself in paperwork.

When she'd left in a hurry yesterday, she had winced at the thought of the piles and piles of reports that she still needed to go through. But she'd had an appointment with the Kuchikis and Nii-sama so she had left in a hurry, not wanting to be late. Who would have thought that after the events of yesterday and today that she would actually be _thankful_ that she could sink herself into the mindlessness that was the bureaucracy of the Gotei 13?

Pushing herself against the door, she opened her eyes and lit one of the lamps in the room to provide a more soothing light. She didn't want to open any of her windows and the shoji doors, translucent as they were, they provided only minimal sunlight since they faced the west. Satisfied with the way the office was for now, she sat behind her desk and curled against her chair for just a second.

Why was it that this place was more of a home to her than the Kuchiki main house? Here, instead of the hushed whispers of the servants, she could hear the sounds Kiyone and Sentarou's easy laughter. She could hear the sounds of swords as they clash against each other while her comrades sparred and practiced their craft. All the sounds and noises that came from the morning routine of the thirteenth division served to relax her in some way.

She yawned and stretched.

Damn but her shoulders and back were stiff. She must have slept wrong last night.

Come to think of it, she didn't really get that much sleep. Too much thinking, too much worrying. If Matsumoto saw her now, she'd reprimand her for the bags under her eyes and the strain in her face. She took a deep breath. Maybe she could take just a small nap. Fifteen minutes, tops. She always did sleep much better here at headquarters than at the main house anyway…

"Kuchiki!"

She jerked her eyes open and found her captain giving her a smirk.

"Sleeping on the job, Kuchiki?"

She blushed furiously as she sat up straight. How long had she been out? She looked across her and at the pile of paperwork at her desk. She wasn't…she hadn't been drooling, had she? She would have sworn that she closed her eyes just that second—

"You shouldn't tease her, Captain Ukitake," came Captain Unohana's voice.

She could die. She could die right now and it would be quite alright. She closed her eyes in embarrassment as she stood up to salute both captains before her. This couldn't be happening. It was one thing to get caught sleeping in front of paperwork by her own captain, but it was _quite _another thing to have another captain catch her in the act. The only saving grace she could find in this whole situation was that at least it wasn't Nii-sama who appeared behind Captain Ukitake.

"Nah," her captain brushed off the slight reprimand. "Kuchiki's used to me doing that. Half the time she's the one who catches me sleeping on the job!" He turned to her. "Relax, Kuchiki!" He grinned. "I promise I won't tattle to your new betrothed."

She gritted her teeth and mouthed a polite "Thank you" before climbing over her desk and tugging at her captain's haori. "Whatever happened to knocking before entering, captain?" she hissed under her breath.

Captain Ukitake gave her a wide smile. "Oh but we did!" he told her. "Didn't we, Unohana? Quite loudly too!" He peered at her closely. "You didn't think you could hide from us, did you?"

Belatedly, she noticed the underlying worry beneath the jovial tone of his voice.

Ah, damn! How long had she been asleep? And how long had they been knocking? She must have been really out for her not to have heard them.

"Not to worry, Vice-Captain Kuchiki," Captain Unohana said gently. "You most likely deserve to rest after such a busy night and morning."

"Ah," she said, biting her lip and not knowing what else to say.

"Well, Kuchiki does sleep better here than at home anyway," commented her captain thoughtfully.

Rukia gave him a glare.

"Oh?" the fourth division captain stated with a worried expression.

Rukia glared even more at her captain.

"Yep!" he confirmed. "Whenever she sleeps here, she usually wakes up refreshed in the morning. When she gets here in the morning from home, though, she often looks like something the cat dragged in."

"Thank you very much," she interrupted. Something the cat dragged in?

"_And _she's crankier. Ask all the thirteenth division who saw her this morning. I heard she gave them an earful—"

Rukia clapped her hands against his mouth and threw a sickly smile towards Captain Unohana. "Can you excuse us for a moment, please?" she said with forced cheerfulness before dragging her captain outside her office.

"We'll be back in a sec, Unohana!" Ukitake called back as he allowed himself to be forcibly taken outside and down the hall.

"What's the big idea!" she growled, looking furiously at him once they were alone. "Are you trying to embarrass me in front of Captain Unohana or what?"

At first, he gave her an innocent look.

Something she clearly wasn't about to buy.

Then he gave a deep sigh before throwing her a contemplative look.

"You're exhausted," he said directly. "And tense. You were probably wound up so tight since last night that you barely even slept. The first time you relaxed was probably in that office of yours. And if I hadn't been so worried, I would have left you there to sleep." He paused. "We did knock, Rukia. Loudly."

Again she flushed. "I was just resting my eyes," she protested. What time was it anyway?

He gave her a skeptical look before shaking his head. "Rukia," he said softly. "Do you know why I asked Captain Unohana to help us with this whole betrothal?"

"I…I assumed that she has an extensive knowledge of Soul Society traditions," she replied uncertainly.

"Besides that," he said. "If that was the only thing I was looking for, I could have asked Nanao Ise or even Nemu Kurotsuchi—both of whom are closer to you than Unohana."

True. She had spent enough time with both vice-captains at those Shinigami Women's Association meetings that she would have been more comfortable with them.

"Unohana is first and foremost a healer," Captain Ukitake informed her. "And I knew…I knew that this engagement of yours will place an inordinate amount of burden on your shoulders. I've asked for Unohana's help not only so that she could help you with all the little details of the engagement, but also keep an eye on how you're doing as well."

"Oh great!" she muttered. "Just great! You think I need fourth division help too?" she asked, feeling slightly betrayed. "First Ichigo and Renji and now you, too? Do I have the word 'fragile' and 'helpless' stamped on my forehead or something?"

"Hmm…so that rumor about the two fourth division seated officers coming to your rescue at Renji-kun's apartment was true?" her captain asked in a hushed whisper.

"Captain!"

"Hey! I was just curious," he said defensively. "I'll have to warn Shunsui what a lightweight you are before the wedding. Knowing that guy, he'll probably be there to keep pouring sake in your cup."

"Are you making fun of me?" she asked threateningly.

"A little," he said with a deadpan expression in his face. Again another deep sigh. "Let Unohana help you get through this next month, Rukia. She and I will make sure you get through this wedding unscathed."

"You make it sound as if I'm going to battle a hollow," she said with a bitter edge to her tone. "It's only a wedding." And wasn't that what she kept telling herself last night? It's only a wedding. What's more, she really didn't even have to _do _anything. Sanada-san said he would take care of all the details. The way he made it sound, the only thing she had to do was show up at the designated time.

"It's your wedding," Captain Ukitake agreed. "To Byakuya Kuchiki," he added, as if that explained it all.

And thinking back to all the anxiety she had experienced these past twenty-four hours, maybe it did.

"We're here to help make sure that you don't get so exhausted that you don't even hear your captain knocking worriedly on your door," he said gently. He grinned. "I'm sickly, you know. I can't be worrying about your health, too."

Her eyes narrowed. "You know, I'm noticing a pattern here," she said slowly. "Why is it that you only call attention to your being sick whenever you're trying to guilt-trip me into doing something?"

He laughed. "You only noticed now?" he asked mischievously. "I've been doing it for years!" he informed her gleefully. "Now, you and I both know that it's my trump card so you're pretty much going to give in to my demands…I mean requests!...give in to my requests! So why don't we go back to your office and see Unohana? She's probably worried about you, too." This time he held out his hand to her and waited.

Shaking her head, she placed her hand on his palm and allowed herself to be ushered back into her office where Captain Unohana greeted her with a smile.

"I trust that you have properly reprimanded Captain Ukitake for his breach of etiquette?" she asked kindly.

Rukia smiled gratefully.

"I had thought that we could go shopping for the _yui-no _today, Vice-Captain Kuchiki," she continued. "However, upon further thought, I believe that it would be better if you were to rest for the remainder of the day."

Rest? For the remainder of the day?

"But it's not even noon!" she exclaimed in surprise. At least, she didn't think it was. If she could figure out how long she'd been asleep…She looked at her desk. "And I have to finish these reports!"

"Those can wait!" interrupted Ukitake.

Again she glared at him.

"Don't worry, Kuchiki-san," Captain Unohana reassured her. "We have all day tomorrow that we can devote to the shopping of the traditional gifts. I know of several places that will be quite suitable."

Shopping for gifts? Traditional gifts?

"Of course, if there is something personal you would like to present to your betrothed, I am sure we will have time for that too."

She plopped down on one of the chairs in her office. Maybe, just maybe, she was in over her head in this. She was supposed to give gifts at the engagement ceremony?

"I must insist on a day of rest for you, however," she continued. "Shopping can be exhausting work and I would like you to be refreshed tomorrow." She smiled. "Perhaps it would be best if I walked you home?"

"What?" she asked. "I don't need to go home," she protested. "I can rest right here."

"Is that so?" she asked skeptically. "You won't be tempted just a little to take a peek at those reports sitting on your desk? You won't go out and help train new recruits if you hear them outside? You won't go to your captain's office to see if there's anything left he had to finish?"

She flushed and looked back at her captain. "You tattle tale!" she accused.

He lifted his hands in innocent surrender. "I didn't say anything about your workaholic tendencies," he defended. "Although now that I think about it, I really should have."

Captain Unohana smiled. "I hear about you from my own officers, Kuchiki-san," she revealed. "Inoue and Hanatarou are, I believe, close friends of yours."

She looked at both captains, surprise evident in her face. "I don't believe this. Are you sending me home?"

They nodded.

"But you said so yourself that I relax better here," she returned, turning to her captain.

He waved off her concern. "Byakuya is unlikely to be home today or even this evening," he told her. "He's another workaholic, like you, and he should be swamped in his own headquarters right now. Not to mention all the meetings he undoubtedly has." He gave her a look. "That gets rid of your primary source of tension at the main house so you should be able to unwind better."

"But—"

"No buts," he said. "You really shouldn't be arguing with a sick man, anyway."

"Sick man, my a—"

"Kuchiki-san," Captain Unohana interrupted. "Should I meet you at your house tomorrow morning then?"

She glanced back at the healer and felt the blood rush to her cheeks. "Sorry," she mumbled. For some reason, she felt like she had to apologize for the language she had been about to use. Why did she feel like she was being ganged up on all sides? First the Kuchikis, then Renji and Ichigo and the fourth division fiasco, and now Captain Ukitake and Captain Unohana, not to mention Inoue and Hanatarou's big mouths.

"No, that's alright," she replied. "I can go to the fourth division headquarters instead. It would be out of your way to have to go to the main house when we'll be leaving to go shopping anyway."

"It is arranged, then," she said softly. "As I've said, you should take the day off today and rest. I'm sure your captain will understand."

"Oh I do, I do!" her _captain_ agreed. "Wholeheartedly I do."

Take the day off and rest? Sounds more like a punishment to her. What the heck was she supposed to do with the rest of the day? It's not like she could go bother Ichigo or Renji. Those two had their own division duties to take care of. Not to mention the fact that she wasn't even sure what to say to them after last night.

Damn.

"Do you need an escort to go home, Kuchiki-san?"

An escort?

"No, thank you!" she replied, hurriedly, standing up from her position. Now she's beginning to wonder how horrible she must look that they kept offering to have someone accompany her home. Did she look like she might collapse at any minute? "Actually," she said, thinking madly of a way of getting out of going home for now, "since I have all this free time now, I was thinking of visiting Kukaku-dono before going home." Yeah. That sounded good. Visiting someone away from Seireitei definitely held an appeal. "I haven't seen her in _ages_," she added.

"That's alright then," Captain Unohana stated. "But please make sure you get some rest before tomorrow. It will be a long day."

"And don't worry about the paperwork!" Captain Ukitake reassured her. "I'm sure Kiyone and Sentarou can do some of them so that you won't be too behind after tomorrow."

She noticed that he didn't volunteer himself for that little chore. She looked at both of them with uncertainty. "If you're sure…"

"Good-bye, Kuchiki!" Captain Ukitake waved, after gently prodding her out of the door.

She knew they meant well, but why did she feel like she was being kicked out of her own office? She looked at the gently closed door in front of her and sighed. A trip to Rukongai sounded really appealing right now. Anything to get away from Seireitei. And visiting Kukaku-dono always had a way of taking her mind off her troubles.

* * *

He stopped in his tracks when the very man he had been cursing under his breath stepped out of his own captain's office. 

What the hell was Rukia's _brother _doing here?

He himself had been on his way to see Yama-ji when he saw Byakuya Kuchiki walk down the corridors of the first division headquarters. He didn't know what twisted plan of fate had him encounter Byakuya this very morning, but he couldn't help but feel that someone somewhere was laughing at him. With a determined scowl on his face, he strode towards the man Rukia considered her family in Soul Society.

"Byakuya," he called out in greeting, all the while hearing Rukia's reprimanding voice in his head as she instructed him once again to address her brother using the proper honorific or title befitting his rank. Damn midget never got tired of telling him what to do. He shook his head as if to clear it and approached the sixth division captain, knowing that the other shinigami would have probably just as soon ignored him.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Byakuya returned neutrally.

He tightened his jaw. Something about Rukia's _brother_ always pissed him off. Maybe it was true, that saying they had about first impressions always sticking with you. Because try as he might, he could never ever seem to forget the fact that it was Byakuya who took Rukia back to Soul Society that fateful night and lifted not one finger to help prevent her execution. He was supposed to have been her _Nii-sama, _for god's sake. What the hell kind of excuse was _following the rules_?

He stood still and stared at the man who had no business calling himself Rukia's brother, let alone her fiancée. He'd imagined in his head a dozen scenarios where he confronted Byakuya regarding this stupid engagement, and yet none of them came to mind now, when it actually mattered.

"Was there anything you wished to discuss?" Byakuya asked without as much as a flicker of emotion in those black eyes as they stared loftily at him.

He took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I heard," he started, attempting to get the distasteful words out of his mouth, "I heard that you and your clan have talked Rukia into some idiotic idea of an engagement."

One supercilious brow lifted in response. "Your disrespectful way of addressing a noble alliance will not make it any less valid," he stated back evenly. He looked beyond him before looking back. "I, of course, assume that your choice of words were not quite the words Rukia used to describe our betrothal."

Ichigo winced. Okay, so maybe he could have worded it better.

How the hell did the sixth division captain do it? It must be some sort of talent to be able to reduce him to feeling like a damn schoolboy being scolded by the principal. "No," he admitted through gritted teeth, "that wasn't quite how Rukia described it. According to her, it seems that you two are to be married."

Byakuya gave him a piercing glance. "That is correct," he answered and looked at him expectantly.

A little puzzled by the look, Ichigo frowned in response. Did the man actually expect him to congratulate him or something? The hell. "It seems a little sudden, don't you think?" he asked instead. "I actually talk to Rukia and I didn't even know that a marriage between the two of you was on the table."

With a steady look, Byakuya said, "And why should you? I see no reason for you to be informed of the comings and goings of the Kuchiki family."

"Still," he ventured to say, "I would have thought that your advisors would have wanted to avoid any unpleasant gossip that might stem from such a…hasty announcement."

"The Kuchikis do not concern themselves with idle gossip," he said coldly. He tilted his head, as if giving consideration to what he was about to say, before stating, "Either way, as the marriage is next month, whatever gossip there may be would die a quick death afterwards."

Next month? "Next month!" he repeated blankly.

"I am sure I speak for Rukia when I say that she would be more than happy to have you at the reception," Byakuya added tonelessly. "The ceremony, I'm afraid, is limited to family members and representatives only."

If he didn't know any better, he would swear this ass was doing his best to piss him off! "The fuck!" he finally said. "What do you mean it's next month?"

He could see the slight tightening in Byakuya's mouth at his language, but he didn't care.

Shit!

Next month?

"I take it Rukia has not informed you of the date?" he asked as if it were of no consequence whatsoever that he had just dropped what constituted to a bombshell on his lap.

"Obviously," he bit out. He was damn sure he and Renji would have remembered that little detail.

"It was a late development," Byakuya conceded. "She may not have had the time to."

Damn right it must have been a late development! They just saw Rukia last night! "Next month," he said again, dazed. That wasn't enough time! They didn't even have a working plan! He had expected the engagement to last at least a year or two. Wasn't that the typical time? Especially for these noble families?

"Is there a problem?" Byakuya's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Yeah, there's a damn problem! Convincing Rukia that she's making the biggest mistake of her incredibly long shinigami life just got that much more urgent. He looked at Byakuya, at those cold eyes that looked back at him knowingly. Almost as if he could tell—

He shook himself. He had nothing to hide from this man. "Byakuya," he growled, conscious of the fact that more than one curious ear must be listening to them in this corridor. "Why did you do it?" he asked quietly, not an easy thing to do, considering the way he felt right now. "You knew," his voice vibrated with suppressed emotions, "you knew that when you and your family surrounded her with this proposition, you knew she wouldn't be able say no."

Byakuya looked at him with those inscrutable eyes before stating, "It is not your concern." He began to walk away when Ichigo grabbed his sleeve to stop him.

"The hell you say! Rukia's…Rukia's…my friend. You and your clan…_manipulated _her with this engagement. You didn't even give her a day to think about it! Something about the whole thing stinks of coercion and…and…it's not right!"

"I have not coerced Rukia in any way to agree to this betrothal," Byakuya's voice came out steadily as he looked down at the hand that held his sleeve before looking back at him. "She agreed to it of her own free will. For you to say differently is to insult not only her, but me and the rest of the Kuchiki clan as well. Was that your intent, Lieutenant Kurosaki?"

"No!" he barked. "I never meant to insult Rukia," he clarified. He let go of the sleeve he had been holding and stood back to face Byakuya eye to eye. "But you and the rest of your so-called noble clan…why did you do it?" he asked again. "You could have stopped the advisors if you'd wanted to. I _know _you could have. One word from you, one word from the Kuchiki head was all it would have taken."

"You understand nothing," Byakuya said as he began to walk away again. "You understand nothing about rules and obligations. You know nothing about the burden of familial duty."

"No, I don't understand!" he declared, following the man. _Familial duty? _This man called his marriage to Rukia nothing but a familial duty? "You're right about that. I don't understand how rules and obligations and duties take precedence over life." He took a deep breath. "This is _her _life you guys are trying to run."

"And if that truly were the case, if the goal of this marriage really were just to run Rukia's life, what makes you so sure that we won't do an adequate job of it?" he replied carelessly. "What makes you think this marriage is a mistake?" Byakuya peered at him closely. "Because that _is _what you are leading up to, correct?"

"Yes!" he said honestly. "You and your clan can't make her happy," he told him. "She's lived with you for about a century now and I know she's not happy there. At least not with you. Not at the Kuchiki main house. Certainly not as your sister." He paused, taking a deep breath, before saying what he'd wanted to say from the very beginning. "What…what makes you think she'll be any happier as your wife?"

If possible, Byakuya's face became even more impassive. "Happiness?" he mouthed in an almost startled response as he stopped for a brief second to look at him. "Whatever makes you think this marriage has anything to do with anyone's happiness?" he asked stoically.

And with that, he turned once again and walked away.

And this time, Ichigo didn't follow him or hold him back.

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

more author's notes: another chapter in the lives of the shinigami in soul society. hope you all enjoyed this and thank you, thank you for all the positive feedback i've been getting regarding this story. thanks for taking the time to review! you all rock! 


	10. the Kuchiki Shiba Alliance

author's note: special thanks to haritori for being my beta-reader.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

**_Part One: The Betrothal_**

_Chapter Ten: The Kuchiki-Shiba _ _Alliance_

* * *

Kukaku Shiba scratched the back of her head with her prosthetic arm as she stared at the dark-skinned woman who sat in front of her. "I don't understand why you had to make yourself scarce," she told her. "It wasn't as if he didn't know you were here." 

Yoruichi gave a careless shrug. "I'd rather not go through the polite talk it would have inevitably led to," she said. "I've never been a big fan of the General and I see no reason to talk to him when there is no need."

She smiled. It's been over a century and a half and the former captain of the second division still held a grudge. "He's been a little better now, if you can believe that. That idiot vice-captain of his is a good influence," she observed.

"Hmm?" Yoruichi tilted her head to the side. "And you're not just saying that because he's arranging a suitable match for that brother of yours?" She grinned. "That's partly the reason I left when I saw him coming anyway," she said blithely. "I didn't really want to interrupt the negotiations." She gave a slight chuckle. "What I wouldn't do to be in the room when he tells Byakuya!"

She lifted a brow. "That better not be your subtle way of insulting my brother," she warned.

"Actually, it's my not-so-subtle way of insulting both your brother and Byakuya," she admitted candidly. "I thought I was quite clear."

"Che," she sighed, picking up a sake cup and drinking the contents. "You really should have stayed," she reiterated. "You would have heard something…really interesting."

"Oh?"

Kukaku watched as those cat-like eyes gleamed.

"More interesting than the imminent wedding between Ganju Shiba and Rukia Kuchiki?" Yoruichi asked. "I'm not sure if there is such a thing. Kisuke and I have been quite entertained by the stories you've told when the matter was first approached."

"Oh, yeah, it was a barrel of laughs," she conceded. Didn't she first laugh her head off when Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai first came to her home with the proposition? She would have thought that her reaction would have been enough to offend the man out of his ideas, but instead he had persevered. He had come to visit her almost once a week for a month before she had actually begun to start thinking seriously about the proposal.

Rukia _would _be a good influence on her idiot brother. There had been a few occasions when she noticed that he seemed less stupid and more…conscientious whenever the shinigami came around to visit. It was almost the opposite effect Ichigo had on him. So after much thought, she had considered the alliance and eventually agreed to it. It wasn't as if Ganju was seeing anyone or had any other plans in that arena that would interfere.

Now as for Rukia, that one she had also given just as much thought to. It was hard not to since she saw her almost every other week.

Despite the odds, she had come to like the slight shinigami with solemn eyes.

Maybe it was the way Rukia kept coming back to visit her when she could. For some reason, the small shinigami got it into her head that Kukaku was the ideal person to spend her Seireitei-free time with. And for Kukaku, who barely got any female companionship except for the odd visit from Yoruichi here and there, Rukia's visits was somewhat a breath of fresh air when compared to the usually boisterous bunch her brother hung around with. Not that she didn't appreciate and even enjoy their antics. In fact, she preferred them. Sometimes, however, she could do with a little gentility and Rukia provided that without boring her to tears.

Or maybe she'd come to like the shinigami because of her appreciation for fireworks. Kukaku remembered the first time she'd shown Rukia one of their little pet projects. The usually sober purple eyes had sparkled like one of the firecrackers. She'd even volunteered to help set up the next project, she had been so excited.

Kukaku sighed. Or maybe it was the way Rukia's face lit up when she talked about Kaien. As strange as it might seem, Rukia was the one person whom she could talk to about her older brother without the usual wave of sadness overwhelming her. Talking about Kaien with Ganju always left her bitter and as for the rest…well, she never talked about Kaien with anyone else. Until Rukia. Rukia, whose sword had pierced the beating heart of her brother. Rukia, who brought her brother's dead body back that rainy night. Rukia, who grieved for Kaien maybe even just as much as Kukaku herself did.

She shook her head. Yes, the Kuchiki girl would have made a good sister-in-law. Truth be told, the only objections she really had against the union were not with Rukia herself, but with the Kuchiki clan in general—Byakuya and Sanada Kuchiki more specifically. A couple of more uptight pricks she'd never met. Granted that Byakuya did have his moments when he seemed to actually acknowledge and care for his sister's existence.

Moments which were too few and far in between!

Whenever she compared Byakuya as a Rukia's brother to Kaien who was a brother to her and Ganju, it never seemed to fail to piss her off.

And now this.

Damn!

She guessed she hadn't really known how much she had been looking forward to having the shinigami as a sister-in-law until this morning, when Yamamoto had let her know that it was now impossible.

"Ne, Kukaku!" Yoruichi's voice came through.

She snapped back to the present.

"Are you ever going to tell me what Yamamoto said this morning that was so interesting?" Yoruichi continued. "You looked a little lost there for awhile."

She looked at the yellow irises that stared curiously at her. "There's not going to be an engagement," Kukaku said tersely. "At least not between Rukia and Ganju. That's what Yamamoto came for this morning."

"Oh?" Yoruichi grinned. "What happened? You changed your mind? Or did Byakuya and the rest of 'em balk as soon as they found out about it? Oh, wait, wait! Is the engagement now between you and Byakuya?" she asked playfully.

Kukaku glared at her friend. "That's not even funny!" she exclaimed. "Or possible, either," she said under her breath.

Yoruichi laughed. "Well? Don't keep me in suspense!"

She shook her head. "It seems that Byakuya didn't know about any of this either," she stated. "Yamamoto was going to approach him this morning with my consent. In fact, I was supposed to go to Seireitei this morning."

"Okay, I'll bite," Yoruichi said. "What exactly happened? I thought it was a done deal?"

Kukaku closed her eyes. "It would have been," she replied, "if it had happened anytime before yesterday afternoon." Why, why, why did she put off agreeing to the proposal for so long?

"And what exactly happened yesterday afternoon?" Yoruichi demanded impatiently. "Damn, Kukaku! Getting information from you didn't used to be this hard."

Kukaku rubbed her temples and took another drink from her sake cup. "It seems that yesterday afternoon, Sanada Kuchiki arranged a betrothal between the adopted Rukia Kuchiki," she paused, her glittering eyes meeting Yoruichi's yellow ones, "and the twenty-eighth head of the Kuchiki noble family, Byakuya Kuchiki."

"…"

She gave Yoruichi a knowing look. "Yeah, that's exactly what I _didn't_ say when Yamamoto first told me."

"…"

"Take your time," she said understandingly. "I know how you feel. I've been through it this morning, after all."

"…"

She grinned. "I must admit, I never thought I would be the one to bring such surprising news to the former head of the covert ops corps of Soul Society."

"…"

"I should actually mark this day because as little a time as you do spend in Soul Society, sometimes I think you know more about what's going on here than I do," Kukaku added. She sighed. Her friend still hadn't moved. "Ne, Yoruichi, I haven't rendered you speechless, have I? Because that would really be a day to mark on the calendar."

"You're not joking, are you?" Yoruichi finally said, her eyes suddenly turning serious.

She gave a near bitter laugh. "Does it look like I'm joking?" she queried edgily.

"No," she replied quietly. "It doesn't."

"God!" she exclaimed, thinking of her would-have-been sister-in-law. "What the hell was that idiot thinking? I would have understood it if it had been Ichigo. Even that other one…that tattooed freak would have made some sort of sense. But dammit all to hell! Byakuya Kuchiki?" She looked at Yoruichi in askance. "Tell me how that makes any sort of sense?"

"I'm sorry," Yoruichi said softly.

"What are you sorry for?" she asked sardonically.

"Kukaku," her friend said chidingly, "you can't hide it from me." Yoruichi gave her a knowing look. "Despite all your protests to Yamamoto, you know that you _liked _the thought of getting a little sister, another Shiba to add to your clan." She paused and took a deep breath. "What's more, you liked Kuchiki. You get a kick whenever you can get her to call you 'Kukaku-nee' instead of 'Kukaku-dono.'"

"What's that got to do with it?" she demanded belligerently. Trust Yoruichi to get to the heart of the matter.

Yoruichi sighed. "It has everything to do with it and you know it," she replied patiently.

Kukaku looked away. That was the problem with old friends. They think they know you through and through.

"Have you told Ganju, yet?" Yoruichi asked.

"Yeah," she replied frustrated. "I told him about the possibility of an engagement with Rukia a week ago, since that was when I had finally decided to agree to Yamamoto's plan." She gave a humorless laugh. "Ganju seemed apprehensive then. Almost scared, really," she said thoughtfully. "I knew he would do what I told him to, in spite of any doubts he might have; but I also knew that deep down, he could care for Rukia the way I do."

She looked at the door behind Yoruichi, as if she could almost see her brother beyond it and beyond her home. "I told him that he was off the hook this morning," she continued. "The idiot seemed relieved, to be honest." She spat. "That stupid ass."

"He was probably afraid of being beaten up by Ichigo or Renji," Yoruichi returned wryly. "Or even Byakuya, for that matter."

"I don't know what you mean," she said balefully.

"Don't be deliberately obtuse at this stage," Yoruichi admonished her. "You know that despite all appearances to the contrary, Byakuya gets a little testy when it comes to his…sister. Hrmmm…I'm not sure how appropriate it is for us to still call her that. Anyway, you also know as well as I do that Ichigo and Renji have been following Rukia Kuchiki around like lovesick puppies since before we even met them. I think the only one who hasn't noticed is Kuchiki herself, and she has her own issues to deal with." She shook her head. "Why those two haven't done a thing about it all these years is the big mystery." She slapped her forehead. "Dammit! Even Kisuke and I had a bet going between those two!"

"What!"

Yoruichi held her hands up in surrender. "It was cancelled as soon as you told me about your arrangement to marry off your brother to Kuchiki!"

"Che!" she muttered and mumbled a few words to herself.

"What was that you said?"

"I said, I had a bet going between those two, too, until Yamamoto came to me with his harebrained idea," Kukaku muttered. "Then I had to honorably withdraw due to what can be considered as insider information."

Yoruichi laughed. "I think most everyone in Soul Society had a stake in it!"

"Yeah, well, the way it's going, no one's going to win or lose," Kukaku returned, forlorn.

Her friend shrugged. "Who knows? It's probably better this way." She flinched at Kukaku's glare. "Better that she didn't pick either of them," Yoruichi explained, "not that she's marrying Byakuya." She tossed her hair over her shoulders. "Those three vice-captains are a pretty tight group. If Rukia married one of them, I think it would damage what they all have right now."

Kukaku nodded reluctantly. "My guess is Ichigo and Renji knew that deep down that's why there's been no action in that front." She looked at her friend speculatively. "Wonder what they think now?"

"Look on the bright side," she said. "At least they won't be beating Ganju up any time soon. Now what they plan to do with Byakuya…well…I'll leave that up to their imagination."

She grinned. "I hope they give him hell."

Yoruichi smiled back. "So do I," she said as she stretched. "I really should be going, though. I stayed longer than I had intended." She frowned. "Trust the General to ruin my perfectly good plans!" She looked at Kukaku. "Although now I understand why he stayed so long. I can't wait to tell Kisuke about this latest development."

Kukaku snorted. "Knowing him, he probably knew before we did."

She shook her head. "I'm pretty sure he didn't know about this when I left the real world this morning," she revealed as she stood up. "But who knows with that man sometimes?"

"Yeah," Kukaku said softly as she made the move to get up.

"You don't need to escort me," Yoruichi told her. "I know my way out."

She waved her off. "I need to get out anyway," she claimed, staggering a little as she pulled herself up. "Some fresh air might do me good."

Yoruichi chuckled. "It might at that," she commented. "How much had you imbibed before I got here?"

She shrugged her off. "This is nothing," she answered instead as she walked side by side the former second division captain. "You might want to put some clothes on, though, or turn back into a cat," she said before opening the sliding door that led out of the room. She smirked. "As much as you enjoy shocking people, I think my household might enjoy the show just a little bit too much."

* * *

Ganju saw her across the field and thought her a figment of his overactive imagination. 

He'd been thinking about her this past week, so seeing her had almost been a natural progression from the state he was in. It had been too coincidental. So he had shaken his head to try to clear it, all the while urging Bonnie-chan along. By the time Bonnie-chan had gotten near her and he had realized that she was really there in the flesh, a paralyzing sense of uncertainty had overtaken him.

Was she here to say that she wasn't in fact engaged to her brother? Was she here to say that she was in fact free of obligations and could therefore accept an alliance with the Shibas?

"Ganju," she said his name quietly, her eyes twinkling. "Out for a ride with Bonnie-chan?"

Her eyes seemed…not disgusted. That could mean that she wasn't marrying him, right? Because if she somehow knew that she was going to be married to the likes of his own ugly mug, she would be a little more…sick, right?

"Ah," he replied, staring at her petite form. She was such a small shinigami—quite different from the murderous monster he had pictured a little less than a hundred years ago. But then, back in those days, it was really only her face he could remember clearly. "It's a good day for it."

She looked beyond him. "Where are your comrades?" she asked curiously. "I rarely see you without them these days."

If she knew she wasn't about to marry him, or if it were the case that she didn't even know she almost got engaged to him, then maybe…maybe she really was engaged to her brother!

"Che," he said, looking away. "They're around here somewhere." Where _were _those boneheads? "This early in the day, they could still be asleep." Which was true. A lot of his friends did not wake up until very much past noon.

She nodded and smiled. "I was about to say that it looks like you've been up for awhile," she observed. "Last night must have been uneventful."

"Nah," he gainsaid nervously. Wait a minute. _Nervous? _ Him? Around this shinigami? Nah. "We did our usual thing. But Nee-san wanted to meet early this morning for—" He stopped himself. Just in time. Did he almost just blurt out the fact that his sister wanted to meet early with him so that they could meet up with the first division captain?

She tilted her head at his unfinished sentence.

He was a stupid moron.

"A family meeting," he improvised. "We have those once in awhile," he babbled. That sounded…plausible, right?

"Oh?" she commented, her eyes looking even more curious. "A family meeting, huh?"

Shit. When was he going to learn to keep his mouth shut?

"Yeah!" he said in mock-enthusiasm. "But it's all hush-hush, all secret, you know." He looked at her sheepishly. "Actually, I would even appreciate it if you didn't mention to Nee-san that I told you about it. She'd kick my ass for even talking about it!"

"Oh."

This time her comment sounded disappointed. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Are you here to see Nee-san?" he asked, veering away from the subject. "She was with Yoruichi-san awhile ago," he informed her. "I think—"

"I didn't even know that Yoruichi-san was in Soul Society today," she stated.

He shrugged. "She visits with Nee-san once in awhile," he revealed. "She doesn't usually stay long."

"I see," she said, looking beyond him now and towards the entrance to his sister's home.

What the hell _did _she see exactly? As he stared at those pretty eyes, he began to wonder—

Wait a damn minute.

_Pretty eyes?_

Since when the hell did he think her eyes were pretty?

He mentally slapped his forehead.

Actually, he knew exactly when he had first thought of those eyes as pretty. It had been last week, when his sister had told him of the arrangement she was agreeing to. Before that day, he hadn't seen this shinigami in any way, shape, or form in that light. After slowly being able to see her apart from the demon who had killed his brother, Rukia Kuchiki had fallen into the one-of-the-guys category. After all, it's not like she had Inoue's assets to help announce her femininity.

And half the time, she was beating up Ichigo and Renji! Something he and his friends often attempted to do whenever they saw those two.

And of course, there was the fact that if he even looked at Rukia in a certain way, he was damn sure Ichigo and Renji would notice. Which, of course, would not be a good thing for his continued existence in Soul Society.

Besides, he had no chance with her just like he had no chance with any woman. He had resigned himself to the fact that his ugliness was just too much of an impediment to any relationship with any woman. And so for the most part, he had seen women as unattainable creatures and therefore had trained himself quite well to ignore anything that might remotely lead to him to forming any sort of attachment.

For the most part, he had been successful.

Until that day when his sister had told him that Rukia Kuchiki was to be his wife.

That was when he had started to dream. And hope. And notice. He had dreamt of a normal family life. He had hoped for a happy wife and children. And he had noticed, for the first time, Rukia Kuchiki as something other than Ichigo's own dream.

Damn his sister to hell.

Damn her for opening his eyes.

Damn her for making him realize that all those things he had told himself he could do without, all those things he had told himself were useless, all those things that he had told himself were beyond his reach…damn her for making him realize that he wanted those things he could never have.

"Che," he muttered, looking across the fields beyond, away from the shinigami.

No use crying over spilt milk.

He felt the wind suddenly blow, carrying a cold chill in the air.

He watched from the corner of his eye as she shivered against those shinigami robes. He bit his tongue before he did or said something stupid like offer her his tattered vest.

"Nee-san should be inside," he said softly instead, encouraging her to seek the shelter of his home.

He looked at the shinigami before him. She held herself so still. Belatedly, he noticed the tension in her very frame. She looked like she was about to break.

She nodded. "I should head in then," she replied. No sooner were the words out of her mouth when her eyes lit up as she looked behind him.

He turned back and saw his sister along with Yoruichi-san approaching them. He smiled.

"Keeping Rukia company, eh, Ganju?" his sister remarked knowingly. Damn interfering woman! For once, just once, he'd like to get the better of her.

"Heh," he growled under his breath. "I'll leave her to you, Nee-san," he said as nonchalantly as he could before once more urging Bonnie-chan forward. He needed to get away from these women. He needed to find his friends. He needed…to forget this past week.

"Ne, you're not staying, Ganju?" his sister called out.

His mouth tightened into a grim little line before he forcefully relaxed it and turned back to face them. "Nah!" he replied back. "Got things to do." He gave them a wave before moving forward, past the shinigami who would have been his wife. He met the tentative smile that she threw him with a careless nod.

"It was good to see you, Ganju," she said politely before turning away to walk towards his sister and Yoruichi-san.

He shook his head and looked beyond the horizon as once again, in his seemingly long life, he began to convince himself that his clan, his friends, and Bonnie-chan were enough to make him the happiest man in Soul Society.

* * *

Kukaku watched her eyes when she first saw her talking so casually with her brother. If anything, they seemed even deeper than usual as if the added burdens and responsibilities were reflected back in those depths. She watched her brother next, noting the tenseness in his shoulders and the awkwardness in his form. The damn idiot looked so nervous, he didn't even bother to get off his boar when talking to the shinigami. 

She sighed and met Yoruichi's observant gaze.

"I'll be going now," Yoruichi finally said, interrupting the silence that descended upon the three of them once Ganju had left. "It was good to see you, Rukia."

"Oh, but I hope you're not leaving on my account," Rukia protested, her eyes clearly wondering if she had interrupted a meeting.

"Of course not," Yoruichi denied. "I've already stayed longer than I had anticipated." The cat gave them one last look. "And I heard that congratulations are in order," she added before walking away. "Consider this my well-wishes."

Kukaku watched Rukia's body become even more still if that were possible.

"Ah," Rukia's voice replied towards the retreating cat. "Are you…going back to the real world?" she asked the feline.

"Soon," she called back. "I just need to make one more stop."

Kukaku grinned. "Don't cause too much trouble, Yoruichi!" she shouted, knowing full well where the former shinigami was heading. "Save some for me!" She found herself the recipient of Rukia's gaze after her remark. She felt her shoulder's droop a little at the shinigami's wary look. At Yoruichi's departure, Rukia seemed even more breakable.

"Finally came to visit me again, huh?" Kukaku asked the small woman. "I don't see you for over a couple of weeks and the next thing I know you're engaged?"

Rukia visibly winced and unconsciously held on to her sword for some comfort before looking away. "I hadn't realized that word would spread as far as Rukongai by this morning," she said defensively. "I was going to tell you," she said with a sheepish look. "I thought coming here would be better than sending a messenger."

"Damn right!"

"Besides," she said thoughtfully. "I wouldn't have known where to send the messenger. It took me awhile to find your home this time," she said quietly. "You move so much that I can't keep up sometimes." She smiled. "You're not trying to hide from me, are you?"

She harrumphed and debated the merits of punching the mouthy little chit or doing equally embarrassing acts that make both Ichigo and her brother cower in fear.

Debate hell!

She quickly pounced on the girl, pulling her into a chokehold using her mechanical arm while rubbing her fist against the neatly coiffed hair. Seeing Rukia all neat and proper and Kuchiki-like always left a sour taste in her mouth, so she often did her best to ruffle the girl. "I guess I should consider myself lucky, huh, that you actually even came to bring me the news at all!" she berated while trying to avoid the flailing arms before her. And in a way, although her tone belied otherwise, she did feel at least a little bit…hmm…what's the word?...Honored?...that the girl came by. There were no family ties to connect them, no friendship forged in battle, nor a division or team to have in common.

The only thing that had held them together, that had kept them talking to each other those first few years was grief and…love for the same man. Who would have thought she would find a kindred spirit in the shinigami who killed her brother?

"Kukaku-dono," her voice came quietly, filled with uncertainty, like that of a child. She had finally ceased struggling against her hold and was gracefully accepting the abuse Kukaku was intent on delivering.

This, to Kukaku, was no fun at all. What's the use of torturing someone if they're not resisting?

She let go of Rukia abruptly and stared as the shinigami unsuccessfully attempted to put some semblance of order in her now tangled mass of hair.

"What's with that wimpy look on your face?" she asked harshly.

"Eh?" Rukia's voice rose.

"I noticed it when you were talking to Ganju," she continued, her tone hard. "And now, you barely even put up a fight. If this is how you've been this past week, it's no wonder the Kuchikis were able to ride roughshod over you and convince you to get married within the space of what must have been minutes!"

The girl had the grace to blush at her comments while muttering under her breath.

"What was that?" Kukaku demanded.

Rukia looked at her reproachfully. "I said," her voice louder this time, "I don't have wimpy looks."

"Hah!" she contradicted. "Well, you could have fooled me and Yoruichi, for that matter. Don't think she didn't notice the same thing I did."

This shinigami vice-captain looked down on her feet.

And Kukaku punched her in the nose with her good arm. "See? There you go again!"

Rukia looked up, glaring at her with those purple eyes as she tried to stem the bleeding from her nose. "What's the big idea?" she garbled furiously, as she shook one fist against her.

Kukaku smiled then. "There's the Rukia I know," she declared loftily. "For awhile there I thought the Kuchikis had replaced her with a clone." She peered at her closely. "Although," she said suspiciously, "that could explain the whole fast engagement thing." She grabbed her friend's chin and lifted the face up for observation. "Who are you and what have you done to the real Rukia?"

"That's not funny, Kukaku-dono," she replied, twisting away. Her one hand was still pinching her nose as she continued to give Kukaku a dirty look.

"Damn," she said. "The blood's really gushing over there." Hmmm…maybe she did hit her a little harder than usual. "It's getting all over your uniform."

"You think?" Rukia asked in a sarcastic voice.

"Argh!" she groaned. "Let's get inside so I can give you some fresh towels." She yanked her towards the long flight of stairs that led down to her home. "If being engaged to Byakuya Kuchiki makes you this wimpy, I'm going to have to watch it every time I punch you by the time you get married!" she whined.

"Being engaged does not make me wimpy!" argued Rukia, quite inelegantly with her fingers still pinching her nose.

Kukaku grimaced at the nasal tone in her voice.

"And you shouldn't go around punching me in the first place," she continued indignantly. "Do I look like Ichigo or Ganju to you?"

She grinned and opened her mouth to respond.

"That's a rhetorical question!" inserted the petite woman, frowning as she did so.

She smirked and led her to one of the rooms and made her sit on the mat. A servant had already arrived with a basin of water and some wash cloths. "Here," she offered, handing Rukia a wet towel to help clean her face and hands. "It wouldn't do to have you return to Seireitei looking like a bloodied heroine."

Kukaku observed as Rukia took what was offered and began the tedious process of wiping the traces of blood on her face. The idiot had finally regained enough sense to use her demon arts to stop the bleeding. She shook her head. Kids these days get distracted so easily.

"Rukia," she said, drawing the shinigami's attention to her. "Next time I see you looking all wimpy, I'm going to do more than bloody your nose," she declared. "I'll beat you senseless as well so that I don't have to stare at those wimpy sad eyes."

She watched those eyes widen at her words before crinkling in a smile. "Kukaku-nee," she said quietly.

Surprised, Kukaku met the searching eyes of her unlikely friend.

Whatever Rukia was looking for, she must have found it because within seconds, Kukaku found herself in the embrace of the shivering girl. She smiled sadly before leaning down and touching her cheek against the top of the shinigami's head. "Everything will be alright, you know," she stated with a confidence she didn't feel. She ran her fingers down the hair she had previously ruffled.

Rukia nodded. "I'm glad," she said softly. "I'm glad that you'll be there to beat some sense into me when the time comes."

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

more author's notes: again, a huge THANK YOU to reviewers new and old for taking the time to let me know your thoughts on the story and expressing your interest in the plot. I'm very glad that y'all enjoy reading as much as I do writing this story. Til next time!  



	11. Repeating History

author's note: many thanks to Haritori for her speedy beta.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Eleven: Repeating History_

* * *

It had been well past dusk when he departed the office of Sanada Kuchiki. He had left the sixth division headquarters early for the sole purpose of conferring with the Kuchiki advisor. Why he even bothered to ask the obvious questions regarding the Shiba matter was beyond him. He knew the answers to the queries he sought. However, more important than the questions he had posed, he had wanted to confront the advisor on his deliberate subterfuge. Byakuya did _not_ appreciate being manipulated or being kept in the dark over certain matters, especially when it pertained to his own life and that of the clan's well-being. 

His eyes swept past his fellow clan members as he strode away from the advisors' office headquarters. He barely gave any of them a passing glance except to note their bowed heads and respectfully downcast eyes whenever they were in his presence. In the many years that he had been the head of the house, he had gotten used to the imposed distance between him and the rest of his people. He was and had always been, after all, the Kuchiki heir. As such, he had always been treated differently, even by his own family.

From whence he could remember, the Kuchikis had always held him in reverence and no small amount of awe. As a child, he had rarely mingled with children his own age, whether they be Kuchikis or from the other noble families. For one thing, his parents had been very careful to separate him from what they considered 'unnecessary' elements. And for another, the one time that had snuck out as a child and joined the other children from his clan, the result had left quite a bitter taste in his mouth.

Whether it had been out of fear of him or out of fear of his parents, the children had shrunk away from him when he had attempted to join their games. And, when he had eventually been able to convince them all to play their games with him, he had noticed their hesitation at participating to their fullest capabilities. Even the bigger and elder children had held back and allowed him to win all the time. While he had fully expected to win through his own merits, it was quite bothersome to win all of them knowing that he had done so due to the half-hearted attempts of his clan members. No matter how much he had implored, they had treated him with what they thought of as respect at that time. Except, instead of feeling respected, he had felt insulted that they would think he needed such a handicap.

At the end of that day, he remembered thinking what a waste of energy it had been to sneak off from his parents for such a dull event. That was the last time he had ever attempted to try and intermingle with his people in their day-to-day lives.

Of course, the Shinigami Academy had been no different. Especially among his so-called peers. He had been bored. At least, he had been, until that one afternoon when he had walked home using a little-known path through the woods near the Kuchiki grounds. The same little-known path he walked through now. On that afternoon, long ago, he had felt a strange prickling at the back of his neck and had drawn his blade instinctively—

The way he did now, just before he heard the clang of his sword against a wakizashi that glinted against what little light was left in the horizon. Lifting his gaze, from the clashing blades, he met the cat-like eyes of the same woman who had snuck up on him centuries ago.

"Getting slow in your old age, Byakuya-bo?" she taunted. "I remember when your reaction time was much faster."

His eyes narrowed at the familiarity she afforded his name. "With such sluggish flash step, there is no need to go any faster," he returned. "Perhaps it is your old age that is showing, Yoruichi Shihouin."

She grinned before jumping away. "You always were a little brat," she declared. "I don't know why I even bothered with you."

Instead of deigning to respond to her jibe, he stood still and watched her fluid movements. One never knew with Yoruichi. The goddess of flash always had a way of keeping everyone around her on their toes. He'd thought so when he first met her and nothing of their encounters since then had led him to change his mind.

"Nothing to say, Byakuya-bo?" she asked airily. "Not even to your old playmate?"

He winced. How like her to bring up memories of the few moments in his life where defeat became his constant companion.

He had first met Yoruichi Shihouin on those rare occasions when he and his family had mingled with the other nobles of Soul Society. By then, she had already become the first female head of the Shihouin family and she had been nothing like he had expected. Prior to meeting her, he had remembered his parents whisper disapprovingly about the eccentric Shihouin heir. She was too familiar with her subjects, they had said. Too casual and too playful. At that time, he had paid little attention to their discussions.

Until he met her.

She was one of the few adults besides his trainers who fought him as an equal.

And it all began with a game of tag.

"Given your presence here in these particular woods in Soul Society, it would seem to be more the case that you have something to say to me instead of the other way around," he finally said, looking closely at the former captain.

She sighed. "You were much more fun in the old days," she reminisced. "I remembered a time when we would still be in combat instead of talking casually like this. Do you remember the last time I did this?" she asked in a mock mournful voice. "It was back when you first started at the Shinigami Academy. Despite being such a serious young shinigami then, you still had quite a competitive spirit. You never could forget the fact that you could never beat me at _shunpo _tag." She smirked. "Whatever happened to the Byakuya-bo I used to know?"

"Is there a point to this trip down memory lane?" he questioned evenly. Surely there was a reason for this special visit. Yoruichi did nothing and went nowhere without a purpose. Her agenda could be hidden, but there was always, always, a reason behind her actions.

"Hmmm?" she commented as she remained perfectly still in one spot. "Don't you think trips down memory lane are important?" she asked. "I have found them to be invaluable."

He said nothing, watching her toss her long hair to the side as she walked deliberately closer until she stood in front of him.

She stopped, only to glare at him from beneath her lashes. "What do you think you're doing, Byakuya-bo?" she hissed under her breath, looking up at him with quietly fiery eyes.

"I assume that you are not referring to my present situation of attempting to get back to the main house through these woods," he said dryly, unmoved by the fire simmering just beneath the surface of her exterior. "And if that is the case, then I'm afraid you have me at a loss."

"Stop being obtuse," she muttered scathingly, pointing a finger against his chest. "What do you think you're doing, taking Rukia Kuchiki as your betrothed?" she demanded.

"Given your tone, am I to understand that you have some sort of objection towards this union?" he inquired, still at a loss, although somewhat amused. What interest could the former second division captain, as well as the former twenty-second generational head of the Shihouin family, have in regards to his family affairs?

"One would think that you would have learned your lesson by now," she reproached.

"You talk in riddles," he replied, looking past her. "I have neither the time nor the desire to decipher your purpose for this…encounter. If you would excuse me—"

"Not so fast," she said, blocking his path even as he tried to step away from her. "I'll have my say in this matter whether you like it or not," she asserted.

He reined in his impatience along with his curiosity. "I fail to see what vested interest you might have regarding my betrothal to Rukia," he stated coldly. Which was true. Out of that group of shinigamis that came from, or are currently living in Karakura Town, Yoruichi Shihouin was not among those that Rukia would consider to be a close friend. Yoruichi's encounters with Rukia were few and far in between. She had never helped train his adopted sister the way she did the healer from the fourth division or the newly transferred shinigami in the eighth division, both of whom had more interactions with Rukia during her days on patrol of Karakura Town. Of course, Yoruichi _did_ train Kurosaki…his eyes narrowed into slits as a list of possibilities ran through his mind.

"Consider it a personal matter," she threw at him.

"It would have to be," he remarked, "as I see no connection in your…professional concerns. Rukia had never been a student of yours."

"Are you so sure about that?"

"I would have known," he stated matter-of-factly. "Furthermore, all of your encounters with Rukia have never really been about her. She just happened to be there at the time that you sought your previous or current students, or even Urahara and Kukaku Shiba. You never really sought out just _her_."

"Oh?" she raised her brow speculatively.

He could see her surprise over his knowledge of her association with his betrothed. "I make it my business to know about the people that Rukia surrounds herself with," he revealed offhandedly.

"Then what makes you think that this is about Rukia?" she asked slyly. "Unlike Rukia, you and I have a history. Perhaps my objections have more to do with you."

"Doubtful," he returned, "as you very well know."

She grinned. "That's what I like about you, Byakuya-bo," she said sardonically. "No room for sentimentality." She brushed imaginary lint off her shoulders before continuing. "As I've said before, I'd like to know what you think you're doing marrying someone not from a noble family." She paused. "Again," she emphasized.

He clenched his teeth and made sure that no outward signs of…irritation showed on his face. "You are mistaken," he informed her coldly. "Rukia is part of a noble family—she is a Kuchiki."

"But only by adoption," she returned, giving him a knowing look, "as you very well know," she finished, throwing his words back. "You know what I meant, just as you know there's a difference."

"Rukia is a Kuchiki," he reiterated, biting back the scathing comment that threatened to burst forth his lips. "And you are the last person I would have expected to object to this union based on class distinctions. A bit hypocritical, don't you think, given your history?"

"Don't be an idiot," she snapped, her eyes intense. "I'm hardly one to object to _anything _based on class distinctions. But you and I both know the consequences of bringing into our circle someone from Rukongai, someone our families deem inferior, someone who would never be really accepted." A superior smirk played across her lips. "I thought that Hisana would have taught you that already."

His mouth tightened before he could control the reaction.

"I may no longer have been in Soul Society by the time you married her, but I've always kept myself informed," she stated. "I knew when you married her and I knew when she died. What's more, I also knew that your family never did accept her. They may have mouthed those very correct and ingratiating words in your presence, but in the end—"

"I know exactly how it ended," he interrupted. "Do not presume—"

"I'm not presuming anything, Byakuya," she interrupted as well. She gave an impatient sigh. "I wasn't there, so of course there are things that I don't know. But, credit me with enough intelligence-gathering skills to know what I'm talking about when I say that the people of our so-called noble houses only tolerated Hisana out of respect for you. She _was_ an outsider with not a whit of noble blood running through her veins."

"You are revealing nothing that I did not already know," he told her quietly. "Was there a reason for bringing this subject up in regards to my current betrothal?"

She gave another impatient sigh, but this time, she held herself in check before glaring at him. "Now tell me again why you intend to repeat your past mistake by subjecting someone you purportedly want to protect into a situation which will no doubt put her directly within firing range?"

If he had any less discipline, he would have let out a snort. "You exaggerate," he stated calmly. "For what purpose, I do not know as of yet; however, I have better things to do with my time than to entertain the whims of a woman whose notion of familial duty extend no farther than her own interests."

Her eyes narrowed in response. "Byakuya-bo," she said lowly, "do you really believe that it's better to be a slave to familial duty and the people that impose them?" She raised her chin up. "The man who married Hisana and adopted Rukia would beg to differ."

"It is the same man who is now betrothed to Rukia Kuchiki," he returned. "Only this time, no rules are broken. If anything, it was the family's wish for this marriage to take place rather than any personal reasons of my own or Rukia's."

She laughed bitterly. "In a way, that's almost sadder," she observed, "because you know that despite this being Sanada Kuchiki's brainchild, Rukia will receive the same treatment from your family as Hisana did as your wife. It won't matter to all those so-called nobles that this was arranged by your uncle. It won't matter that Rukia is a vice-captain in her own right and a strong shinigami to boot. All they'll see is her Rukongai roots."

"Rukia," he gritted, "for all her roots, is far more suited to the title of being a noble than most in my family or yours."

She laughed. A genuine laugh this time. "At least you realize that," she gave him credit as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. After a long look, she gave another frustrated grunt. "Give her up, Byakuya-bo. Give her up to someone who can make her happier than Hisana had ever been. Give her up to someone whom she can make happy as well. If you really don't care who you're marrying, then saddle yourself with another noble. There's plenty to choose from that your family would accept. Don't condemn her to the life Hisana had."

"Hisana—" he began almost impulsively, defensively, before pausing and completely stopping the rest of his words from bursting forth. _Was happy with me, _he had wanted to say. Wasn't that what she had said all those years ago?

_These last five years with you were the happiest I've been._

"Was most likely happy with you," Yoruichi knowingly finished for him. "But then, she wasn't always with you, was she?" she asked. "You had your own duties to the Gotei 13 which took up most of your time and energy, vice-captain that you were."

"This conversation is over," he told her. And it was. He could see no benefit in rehashing the past for Yoruichi Shihouin to pick and prod over. He turned away and stared at the path that would lead him home. The sun had already set and only the moonlight showed the way. He really should head back to the main house.

"Byakuya," she called out, grabbing his sleeve gently, as if she knew he wouldn't resist.

He looked down at her bowed head and the fingers that clenched involuntarily, he was sure, on his sleeve.

"You're right," she finally said. "I am _not_ a close friend of Rukia, but—"

"But you've always had a soft spot for Ichigo Kurosaki," he finished for her this time, although he was quite sure that wasn't what she had intended to say. "And you must think that this marriage would have a detrimental effect on him," he observed. "Isn't that why you're here right now, Yoruichi?"

A slow smile curved her lips. "You always were a quick study, Byakuya-bo."

He gave her a sideways glance. "I wonder…if you had objected this much when the arranged marriage was for Rukia…and Ganju Shiba," he said thoughtfully.

The swift intake of breath coming from his companion confirmed his suspicions. Perhaps it was what one would consider a wild guess, but he had a strong feeling that Yoruichi knew about the General's plans with the Shibas even before he did. She was, after all, a good friend of Kukaku Shiba.

"That was different," she stated calmly.

"Oh?" he raised a brow skeptically. "How so? If your concern is for Ichigo Kurosaki, then you would have also objected to Kukaku Shiba regarding that particular match as well." He paused. "Except, I don't believe you did. Now why is that, do you think?"

"I'm sure you'll let me know," she replied wryly.

"I suppose it could be because Kukaku Shiba _is_ your friend," he hypothesized, "and you sided with her in this conflict of interest instead of your concern for Kurosaki." He gave her a pensive look. "But I don't think so."

"Hmmm…" she tilted her head to one side, looking at him warily.

"I think," he began slowly, "that you never believed that the marriage between Rukia and Ganju Shiba had any chance of ever happening. You believed that Ichigo would have somehow found a way to convince Rukia against it or, barring that, you must have counted on his friendship with the youngest Shiba to settle the matter."

She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Of course," he continued, "there is one other possibility." He turned away from her and began to walk towards the main house again. He paused. "But I believe that would credit you with too much sentimentality that I dare not even mention it," he told her with a slight look back before continuing on his way. "Now as I've said before, there truly is nothing more to discuss."

"Byakuya," she called out to him.

He paused again out of respect for her as his old trainer more than any sort of curiosity regarding what she had to say.

"Do you think you can protect her?" she asked lowly this time. "This isn't about a battle to protect her life against all the hollows in the world. Goodness knows you've done your utmost to hold her back from the most dangerous of situations. But, do you think you can protect her from the little things your family will put her through? If you marry her, the sharp little digs that your people will no doubt make regarding her inferiority will only double. If I know your family, and believe me when I say that I do, their comments will get nastier now that Rukia has come between you and their other hopefuls." She gave a mirthless laugh. "Or didn't you think that many in your clan would have preferred that you marry an actual Kuchiki by blood?"

"Sanada—" he began.

"Including your dear old uncle," she interrupted. "You can't be as blind as not to see that this move of his was a last resort to prevent any alliance between the heirs of the Kuchiki house with the heirs of the Shiba house." She snorted. "Believe me, in the short amount of time that old man was no doubt given, if he could have devised another way to prevent both you and Rukia from ever being the target of an alliance with the Shiba clan, he would have done so in a heartbeat." She took a deep breath before continuing. "How long do you think before Rukia withers away like Hisana did?"

And there she had said it. The source of that slight trepidation he'd had ever since he'd observed the mental browbeating and manipulation that Sanada Kuchiki had skillfully executed against Rukia.

"Rukia is…stronger than Hisana," he stated quietly, letting none of his uncertainty show. It pained him to have to voice that thought. He could remember the exact day he realized that he had lost the laughing and vibrant woman he had married. He could remember the exact moment when she had crumbled under the family pressure and had given up. Hisana had given up in life and in finding her sister. And he knew, _knew,_ that he was partially to blame. "She," he began, bringing his attention back to the matter at hand, "does not need my protection against my family."

"Maybe not," agreed Yoruichi. "But how long do you think before the little insults pile up? How long did it take before Hisana succumbed?"

He turned to face her fully and almost smiled. "I'm afraid that it is you who do not know Rukia," he declared softly, despite the slight niggling of doubt that persisted in his mind. "She will prevail against whatever slights you believe my clan will inflict upon her." After all, hadn't she prevailed against him already? The fact that she was a vice-captain in her own right showed him more than anything that her will was strong enough to go against his wishes. And if her will was that strong…

"You're going to be stubborn about this, aren't you?" she asked rhetorically.

At his impassive glance, she shook her head. "I guess we'll just have to see then," Yoruichi stated, her eyes unconvinced.

"Yes," he nodded. "We will."

"Rukia…" she hesitated, "Rukia is not _my_ close friend. But…but I hope for her sake, for everyone's sake, I hope that you're right. Because if you're not…if you're not, then it won't be only be me, or Ichigo, or anyone of Rukia's friends whose judgment you'll have to face." This time, it was she who turned her back to him. "It will be Hisana's as well," she shot back at him, before walking away and disappearing altogether.

He looked at the empty space she had occupied for what seemed like hours before he shook himself.

_It will be Hisana's as well._

He started to walk back towards the path he had been following before he was so rudely interrupted. He needed to think on his own and Kuchiki main house was just beyond the horizon.

_It will be Hisana's as well._

Despite Yoruichi's voice ringing in his ears, nothing had changed.

_It will be Hisana's as well._

He had known that all along.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Rukia had left Rukongai and entered Seireitei once more. There was a whip-like sound to the wind against her hair as she flash-stepped her way over the many rooftops that would eventually lead to the main house. Tempted as she was to return to the thirteenth division headquarters, she had a feeling that Captain Unohana would no doubt find out about it and gently reprimand her tomorrow morning. 

She gritted her teeth remembering how that particular captain had already caught her sleeping on the job. Despite Captain Unohana's kind words, Rukia wasn't about to give her any more cause for concern. She could only imagine what her brother—she stopped the train of thought.

She was going to have to stop referring to him as her brother. Given the circumstances, it was a little unnerving—

"_Try creepy," _she could almost hear Renji's voice.

"_How about stupid?" _Ichigo's voice chimed in.

She shook her head. Even without her friends around her, she could always count on the voices in her head to supply her with their more than colorful editorials. What would she do without those two idiots?

"_Hey!"_

"_Hey!"_

She snorted. "That's right," she said loudly. "Idiots!" she repeated.

She sighed. She really should refrain from talking to herself.

As for the problem at hand, it really needed to be dealt with. She saw the strange look Kukaku had been throwing her whenever she mentioned her "Nii-sama." She knew that it would only get worse the more people she talked to.

"_You can't even bring yourself to say his actual name without wincing!" _her imaginary Ichigo's voice exclaimed.

"_Yeah!"_ added the pseudo-Renji. _"You look like you expect him to scold you for even daring to say his name!_"

"Oh shut up!" she told both voices, all the while reprimanding herself for her foolishness. "I can say his name fine!" She really had to stop imagining her friends' voices whenever she had the urge to talk to herself.

"_Oh yeah?"_

"_Go ahead then. Do it."_

She stopped moving and perched on top of one rooftop. "Nii—" she stopped herself. She could almost hear Renji and Ichigo laughing their heads off. She groaned. One would think that her imagination would have at least made her friends to be somewhat sympathetic to her plight! But nooo…they had to be in-character even then.

If there had been a wall beside her handy, she just might have knocked her head against it.

She steeled herself and thought of her bro—her _betrothed._ Her fiancée. Byakuya Kuchiki. Head of the Kuchiki clan and captain of the sixth division.

"Byakuya," she said loudly, "—sama," she added with a guilty look. "Byakuya-sama," she said in one go this time. There. It's not that bad. She just needed to instinctively think and say it now whenever she thought of Nii—

She cursed.

More imaginary laughing in her head from her very unsympathetic friends.

"Byakuya-sama," she said again. "Byakuya-sama, Byakuya-sama."

Damn. Now that was just a mouthful.

"_Now say it fast three times."_

"Byakuya-sama, Byakuya-sama, Byakuya—oh this is just stupid!" she cried out, frustrated. She stomped her foot against the roof beneath her before moving through the air once more. She should just go home at this point. After all, she had a month to get used to it, right? And if she slipped up as she had been doing when talking about Nii-sama—damn!—Byakuya-sama to her friends and colleagues, then what was the big deal?

Despite her reasoning, she forced herself to keep saying his name as she passed over more rooftops. It couldn't hurt, right? "Byakuya-sama," she whispered. _Byakuya, Byakuya, Byakuya, Byakuya. Not Nii-sama. Byakuya-sama._

So intent was she on her thoughts that she didn't notice her pursuer.

Until she felt a pair of slender arms wrap around her frame midway through one of her leaps, causing her to lose her focus not just on her practice-saying-"Byakuya" session, but on the fact that she was still airborne as well. At least, that was her rationalization for landing somewhat awkwardly on top of one of the walls in the streets of Seireitei.

"What are you doing, Rukia-nee?" she heard the husky voice close to her ear as the pair of arms around her held her steady.

"Karin-chan!" she exclaimed, turning to look back at Ichigo's sister. A big smile found its way to her mouth. "Or should I say Vice-Captain Kurosaki?" she teased.

"Che!" the woman in front of her muttered with a frown. "That only makes me think of my brother."

Rukia grinned before jumping up and giving the taller woman a hug. "Congratulations!" she said happily. "I heard about the promotion a week ago but I hadn't had a chance to stop over." Looking up at her friend, she asked, "So, how does it feel? Are you and Captain Soifon getting along alright?"

"Of course," she replied matter-of-factly. "I'm a damn sight better than her last vice-captain so it only makes sense."

She laughed. Trust Karin to get to the heart of the matter. Except for the fact that she was almost as tall as Ichigo now, Karin would always be the same practical and down-to-earth girl she had shared a room with during her time in Karakura Town.

"I was about to go home when I noticed your reiatsu," Karin informed her. "I thought I'd catch up with you before I went off for another mission tomorrow." She gave her a sly look. "How do you like my _shunpo_?"

Rukia frowned. "Yeah, let's talk about that," she said, a little irritated. "Do you make it a habit to sneak up on your friends?"

"Sneak up?" she repeated, one brow raised in question. "Rukia-nee, a whole subway system could have slammed into you and you would have still thought they'd snuck up on you, so deep in thought you were." She gave her an inquiring look. "I called out to you a few miles back, but I guess you didn't hear me. What were you thinking about that you didn't even notice me following you or calling your name?" She tilted her head to one side. "Or should I even ask?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

"I meant that I thought perhaps your mind was somewhat preoccupied by the very disturbing, and apparently, highly substantiated news I heard this morning," she clarified. "But you know what? No matter how good my intel is for this particular news, I thought I'd get it straight from you anyway." Karin leaned down until her forehead touched hers. "Rukia-nee, are you really going to marry your brother?"

Rukia tried to shrug her off. "He's not my real brother," came her automatic response for that day. "Byakuya-sama," she said in slow deliberateness, quite proud of the fact that she was able to refer to him by his given name, "is only technically my brother-in-law or adopted brother."

"Yeah," Karin agreed deceptively before looking at her doubtfully. "For the last century or so," she added emphatically. "That's almost like me marrying Ichi-nii."

"Actually," Rukia replied, thinking back to her conversation with Kiyone, "not really." She wasn't really sure how to explain. "If I think about it," she said thoughtfully, "it would be more like you marrying someone like…Sado-san!" she finished brightly.

To her surprise, the younger shinigami flushed and glared at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Karin demanded this time, almost losing her balance on the wall they both stood on top of.

Rukia looked at her perplexedly. "You know, someone you've known almost all of your life, but then…not really." She looked at her friend closely. "What do you think I meant?"

"Nothing!" she answered hurriedly, looking away and seemingly embarrassed.

Noting her friend's red-stained cheeks, an idea began to form in her mind. "Karin-chan," she said in a sing-song voice, "do you…_like_ Sado-san?" Her mouth curved in an almost unholy smile of glee.

"I do not!" cried the normally stoic vice-captain.

"Do you have…a _crush_ on Sado-san?" she continued mercilessly, using the high-pitched voice that she knew annoyed not only this particular Kurosaki but her orange-haired brother as well.

"No, I do not!" Karin replied, flustered. Giving her a fulminating glare, she added, "And we are NOT discussing this ever again."

Rukia almost laughed out loud. Really, there were plenty of times when she envied Ichigo for having little sisters. It was just so much fun to tease them! No wonder Kukaku-dono loved torturing her. "If you say so, Karin-chan," she nodded agreeably, lying through her teeth.

Karin threw her a suspicious look.

She threw her hands up in mock surrender. "I swear not to discuss it ever again," she promised. "Tonight," she clarified with a sweet smile.

The second division vice-captain rolled her eyes before staring at the heavens and muttered to herself. "I suppose that's the best I could hope for from you," she stated resignedly.

She nodded sympathetically. "As your Rukia-nee, it is my solemn duty to put forward painfully embarrassing questions so that you may become a better shinigami—"

"Oh you can just quit it," Karin interjected.

If Karin had been any shorter, Rukia would have placed a comforting arm around her shoulder instead of the reassuring grip she placed on her arm when she said, "Don't worry. You can take comfort in the fact that I won't be mentioning this little conversation to your brother."

Karin closed her eyes.

"Yup!" Rukia said cheerfully. "I very much understand that little sisters often have to hide things from their big brothers to keep them from worrying." She gave Karin a sideways glance. "Or trying to beat up Sado-san," she added.

Karin groaned.

"Because we both know that if Ichigo had any inkling that his little sister might be slightly interested in a shinigami—"

"I am NOT interested in my brother's friend," she declared hotly, "and I could have sworn you said that we weren't going to be talking about this anymore tonight."

"Ooops!" Rukia mouthed. "Sorry," she said sheepishly. "That was very bad of me and I apologize."

* * *

"Hmph!" 

For the first time since she'd known her, Karin Kurosaki understood why her brother always seemed torn between strangling and…well…doing other things to the shinigami before her. Not that he ever acted on either impulse, nor would he have even admitted to the latter feeling.

"I solemnly promise," the diminutive shinigami said with her hand over her heart. "No more teasing tonight."

How did Rukia-nee do it? How was she able to distract her from her goal this evening?

When Karin first felt the familiar reiatsu close by, she had stopped what she was doing and followed the trail instinctively. She had fully intended to question her former "roommate" on the news she had heard about that morning. It had almost felt like a relief to finally detect the reiatsu within the walls of Seireitei. Hadn't she been waiting for it all day? She had been patient. Instead of searching for her in Rukongai, she had waited here for her to return.

And now, Rukia was doing an excellent job flustering her over some idiotic crush which she most certainly did not have!

She let out a deep breath and attempted to bring back the subject she wanted at hand. "Rukia-nee," she said quietly. "It's true, isn't it? You are marrying Captain Kuchiki."

"Yes," her friend replied steadily.

From the look in Rukia's eyes, Karin could only imagine what she thought.

"It has been decided quite recently," Rukia continued, "but the news seems to have traveled quite…far."

"Why?" Karin asked bluntly. _Why, why, why?_

"Why?" she repeated, her brows furrowing.

"Yeah," Karin responded. "Why. Why did you agree to this? You have no great love for your brother. He's more like a stranger to you these days. As for the rest of the Kuchikis, I know they haven't exactly endeared themselves to you. So, yeah, I'd like to know. Why are you doing this?"

She seemed taken aback by her questions and Karin wondered whether she should have tempered them. Or asked more diplomatically. Anything to get that lost look off Rukia-nee's face.

"Why," she repeated again, staring past her to some unknown place. "Your brother asked me the same thing last night."

_Well good for Ichigo_, Karin thought, surprised at the news. "You've spoken to Ichi-nii?"

"I told him and Renji about it last night," Rukia told her. "Nii-sa—" she stopped.

Karin saw her bite her lip and clench her hands.

"Byakuya-sama had warned me that the news might spread quickly and that it would be better if my friends heard it from me first," she continued. She shook her head wearily.

And for the first time that night, Karin noticed the little things.

Like how Rukia-nee's eyes seemed to have shadows behind them. Like the less-than-neat way her blood-stained shinigami robes seemed to overwhelm her body. Karin's eyes looked more closely. The blood was Rukia's but there was no sign of injury. Just what had she been doing in Rukongai, anyway?

But mostly, Karin noticed how Rukia's slight frame seemed fragile and breakable.

Strangely enough, as small as Rukia was, Karin had never thought of her as fragile or breakable before. She had always seemed to be in charge. When she had first lived with her family, she remembered watching in amazement at the way the tiny woman seemed to order her brother around like a trained soldier.

Of course, at that time, she hadn't known that that was exactly what Rukia had been doing.

"I see," she responded quietly. "And what did you tell my brother? Why did you decide to marry Captain Kuchiki?"

Rukia gave her a rueful smile. "The Kuchiki advisors had said that it would benefit the family if Byakuya-sama and I were married," she answered. "Byakuya-sama had no objections and—"

"I didn't ask why your family decided on this thing," Karin interrupted, rolling her eyes. Who care about those stuffed shirts? "I wanted to know why _you_ did."

"And that is exactly what your brother said as well," she said with a mirthless laugh. "There are times when you remind me so much of your brother, it's a little scary."

"Well?" Karin demanded, ignoring her last statement. She'd heard that before.

Rukia looked up in the sky. "I don't know," she replied.

"You don't know," Karin said flatly.

"I don't know," she confirmed, looking at her this time. She shrugged. "I didn't know last night and I still really don't know tonight."

Karin gritted her teeth. "Let me get this straight," she began. "You agreed to marry Captain Kuchiki, but you don't know why?"

"When you put it that way, it makes me sound silly, doesn't it?" Rukia ventured. "Believe me when I say that it feels even sillier than it sounds. The past twenty-four hours have felt like a dream…a very silly dream, but still a dream." She looked back to the stars in the sky. "I keep expecting to wake up some time. Any time. Any time now."

Karin wondered whether it was against Seireitei laws to shake the hell out of her fellow vice-captain. As she placed both hands on the shoulders of the tiny shinigami before her, she wondered if doing so would prove too much of a temptation for her. "Rukia-nee," she said slowly, inhaling and exhaling deliberately. "You do know that most people _know_ why they're getting married, right?" she asked. "It is often a conscious decision based on reasons and emotions."

"Of course I know that!" she said indignantly, looking away. "I'm not a complete idiot!"

She refrained from making a scathing reply to that declaration and let go of her friend's shoulders.

"What about my brother?" she asked instead. After all, that was the reason she had sought out Rukia tonight, wasn't it? "What are you going to do about Ichigo?"

"What about him?" Rukia returned, clearly confused.

She clenched her jaw. Was Rukia-nee playing stupid?

"In a way you're leaving him again, aren't you?" she asked carefully. "The way you did back then. You left him for Soul Society. And now that he's here, after he's waited all that time to follow you here, you're leaving him again. For the Kuchikis."

Rukia whipped her head around and face her. "What are you talking about?"

For the love of—

"Do I need to draw you a picture?" Karin asked impatiently.

Rukia gave her a weak grin. "If you mean to imply that—"

"I'm not implying anything!" she declared.

Rukia almost fell off the wall ledge. "Ichigo doesn't feel that way about me—" she faltered, her eyes widening at the realization that Karin was, in fact, quite serious.

"Cut the crap!" Karin hissed. Was Rukia blind? Everyone in Soul Society _knew—_

"He never—"

"You weren't there," she bit out. "In the human world," she clarified. "You weren't there to see what happened to him when he finally realized you weren't coming back."

Rukia shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said plaintively. "Ichigo was…I didn't…"

"Why do you think he never married, huh?" Karin blurted out. And she was pretty sure her brother was going to kill her for this if he ever found out. "He could have married Inoue who was in love with him. He could have married Tatsuki who was his friend from childhood. Instead he dedicated his life to his work as a doctor. He waited out his life until he could go to Soul Society and live in your world."

"That's not true," she denied vehemently. "What you're saying about him and his feelings, it's not true! I don't know why they didn't get married but it had nothing to do with me. Ichigo was never…he was never…" She threw her hands up in the air. "At least not with me."

"Are you stupid or what?" she asked. This time, she didn't resist the urge to grab Rukia and _gently _shake her. "How can you deny—"

"Karin-chan," Rukia said calmly, drawing the hands away from her shoulders. "You are mistaken," she stated. "Ichigo has never indicated to me the kind of feelings you refer to. He was, and is, a very good friend of mine. I'm sure that he won't appreciate—"

"I've always liked you, Rukia-nee," she told her friend, looking at the blind eyes before her. "Even back in the real world when you lived with us, all the while keeping the secret of being a shinigami. Even when it was your world that put my brother's life in danger time and again. And even after you left for good and my brother was heartbroken. I liked you even then because I know you did it for his own good."

"Karin-chan," Rukia implored.

"But now," she continued, "now, I don't think I can even look at you." She turned away only to feel the clasp of hands on her elbow.

"Karin-chan," Rukia said again.

"It's bad enough that you're marrying someone other than my brother," she told her, "but to marry that someone for reasons you don't even know!"

* * *

Rukia held on tightly to the trembling arm she held beneath her fingertips. The girl was confused and hurting for her brother when there was no reason for it. 

"Karin-chan, you're wrong about this," Rukia informed her gently. "I know Ichigo. If he had felt that way about me, I would have known already. He would have told me long before now." She looked directly into the eyes of the distraught girl. "You know your brother. Don't you think he would have let me know by now, too? If he felt that way, wouldn't he have already said something before now?"

"Well, yes, I had thought that he would have by now too, but—"

"There you see!" Rukia exclaimed, telling herself that she was relieved at Karin's acquiescence.

"I don't know why he hasn't said anything, but I know I'm right about this," Karin insisted.

"No, you're not," she declared flatly. Because Karin couldn't, _just couldn't_, be right. Not now. "But I can see that we won't be coming to an agreement anytime soon." Because if Karin was right, if Ichigo had had feelings for her…

She shied away from the thought.

"We'll just have to agree to disagree then," Karin responded stiltedly, looking at her with eyes full of…betrayal?

"Yes," Rukia agreed slowly, unsure what else she could say to reassure Ichigo's sister.

"I guess we'll just wait and see," she looked away from her and towards the horizon. "I'll just say one more thing, though."

Rukia looked at the woman that stood so still before her.

"I won't forgive you," she declared. "If you hurt him again the way you did back then, I won't forgive you."

And with that she left quickly, leaving Rukia alone in the night, perched on a wall in the streets of Seireitei.

She had no idea how long she stood there, watching the horizon where Karin's retreating figure disappeared to. Her mind whirled with all the possibilities.

Karin couldn't be right. She couldn't.

Shaking her head vigorously, she jumped from the wall and to the streets before her. She had to think away from here and the Kuchiki main house wasn't much farther.

* * *

To be continued

* * *

More author's note: well, after a month's long hiatus, here is another installment of this story. As you may have already guessed, updates will no longer be as fast as they were back in August due to a couple of factors: a) real life activities that kicked in on September; b) new episodes of TV shows that begin in the fall! Both factors take time away from any fun writing However, the good news is, September was just horrible so hopefully, the next installment wouldn't take as long to post now that i'm in October. I'm very excited to write the next chapter since (you may have guessed based on the above) it will actually have B and R in the same place at the same time :-) 

I haven't been able to reply to any of the concerns /questions /etc. in the previous round of reviews. Sorry about that. I will do so as soon as I can


	12. Under the Moonlight

author's note: many thanks to Haritori for her speedy beta.

* * *

**Substitute Affections — A Bleach Fanfiction**

**by Akane-Rei**

_**Part One: The Betrothal**_

_Chapter Twelve: Under the Moonlight_

* * *

Rukia stood still once she reached Kuchiki property. She debated whether to go through the main gate, knowing that doing so would announce her presence to the whole household. Out of obligation, the servants would bow their heads respectfully before her and cater to her needs. However, whenever they did so, she always had that feeling of being…an impostor. She wasn't comfortable with the trappings of being a noble. One would think that after a century of such luxury, she would have gotten used to it by now. Instead, not a day went by that she didn't hesitate to enter by the main gate instead of cutting through the gardens and going directly to her rooms. 

It was tempting, so tempting, to bypass all the formalities expected from her and just go straight to her room and hide. Except, Kukaku's voice kept reverberating in her head…

_If being engaged to Byakuya Kuchiki makes you this wimpy…_

She gritted her teeth.

She was being stupid. How hard could it be to go in there and be served? When she thought of all those kids in Inuzuri who would be more than willing to trade places with her, she almost kicked herself for being such a whiny little brat. She hated, _hated_, being a poor little princess.

Shaking her head, she pasted a smile on her face and proceeded towards the main gate. She was a Kuchiki, for heaven's sake! And becoming even more so the way things were unfolding. She had every right to be here and—

"Good evening, Rukia-sama," a soft voice called behind her.

She tried not to grimace. She really did. But the sound of "Rukia-sama" from the servants was another thing she couldn't find herself getting used to even after a century of living as a Kuchiki.

"Yui-san!" she turned to greet the young girl who bowed before her. If Rukia remembered correctly, Yui was the daughter of one of the cooks in the main house.

A nervous energy seemed to emanate from girl as she shuffled her feet to look up at her. "We were not expecting you this evening," Yui mumbled, looking at her with dismayed eyes. "I will let them know of your arrival so that we could prepare an evening meal."

"No!" Rukia protested vehemently before she could stop herself, grabbing hold of the girl's elbow. Yui was just about her height, if not a little shorter. "That's not necessary," she said in a lighter tone. "I have already taken my evening meal."

"Oh," she replied quietly, looking at her with solemn eyes. "I should let the household know anyway," she insisted. "We were not expecting either you or Kuchiki-sama tonight and it would not do to be unprepared."

"I'm sure that everything is in order," Rukia returned. And she was. It would have to be in the Kuchiki household. It was probably the most efficiently run household in Soul Society. Nothing but the best for the Kuchiki main house. "Very little catches the main house unprepared."

"Oh, but—"

"No preparations are needed for my arrival," she reiterated, "as I intend to go straight to my rooms."

The girl, however, remained unconvinced and gave her another quick bow before running to the main house. Rukia watched as the girl was greeted warmly by the two sentries assigned at the front gate. She had to stifle a sigh when she saw their change of expression once they caught sight of her just behind Yui.

"Rukia-sama!" they saluted.

She nodded in acknowledgement as she slowly walked towards them. Yui had already run past the gate, having finished delivering her news to the sentries that stood straight and tall before her. "Good evening," she said softly before walking past them.

"Ahh, R-R-Rukia-sama," she heard stuttered behind her.

Rukia looked back questioningly and found herself facing the younger one of the pair. "Ano," he began, "p-p-please accept our felicitations towards your upcoming nuptials!"

Her confusion must have shown on her face because when she looked at the other guard, he was scratching his head apologetically while hitting his partner.

"Forgive the presumption and the familiarity, Rukia-sama!" he said loudly. "This son of mine is quite new to his duties and is still getting used to—"

"Oh, but there's nothing to forgive!" she said quickly, her eyes going back and forth between father and son before settling on the blushing youth. She approached him with a smile and said, "My thanks for your sentiment." And she was thankful. It was rare for anyone in the Kuchiki household to speak directly to her regarding matters that have nothing to do with household protocols and duties. "What is your name?" she asked kindly.

"Eh-heh," he stammered, his face going into a deeper flush.

"Answer the question when asked, idiot!" she heard the father whisper loudly under his breath.

"A—ano…" he began, his head now bowed, "Haru Tanaka, Rukia-sama. My name is Haru Tanaka."

"Well, Haru-san," she smiled as she looked at both guards again, "I'm sure I speak for…Byakuya-sama as well when I say that we very much appreciate you and your family's well wishes." With another brief nod, she bade them farewell before continuing to the main house.

Behind her, she could hear the friendly bicker between father and son as they debated between the new and the old attitudes towards the nobility. A little disappointed at not being able to hear the rest, she trudged on and finally entered the main house.

Only to find a row of servants before her with their heads bowed.

"Welcome home, Rukia-sama."

Hoping her smile wasn't as sickly as she felt at the moment, she nodded in greeting and continued to walk past them. She had never been and, she was sure, never would be comfortable with the way the servants treated her. Half the time, she felt like she should be the one doing the respectful bowing. The other half of the time, she would automatically look behind her and expect her brother to be standing there because all the bowing and scraping certainly couldn't be for her.

"Will you be needing anything this evening, Rukia-sama?"

She paused and glanced back. "No," she replied. "Thank you for the offer, but I believe I shall just head to my rooms tonight."

"Very well then," one of them answered. "We will warm up a bath for you to make use of whenever you are ready."

She wanted to tell them that there was no need. That she could draw her own bath and that she felt uncomfortable being waited upon. But what was the use? They would insist on doing these things for her their own way.

Besides, she did want a bath before going to bed.

Giving them what she hoped was a grateful smile, she proceeded towards her rooms. Despite the lack of any strenuous physical activities that day, she felt drained. She yawned.

Okay, so maybe there were times when having people wait on her was a very good thing.

Captain Unohana might have been right. Perhaps she should have just returned back to the main house as soon as possible and taken the time to rest. Thinking back to her time with Kukaku-dono, however, she rejected the idea. It had been a good idea to visit her and reminisce a little.

She let out a deep breath once she entered her room and slid the door close. While she didn't feel as comfortable here as she did at her office at the thirteenth division headquarters, this room was her sanctuary in the Kuchiki main house. It was the place no one entered without her permission, the place where she could be alone whenever she wished it.

But more importantly, the terrace opened up to the Kuchiki gardens.

She grinned, dropping her sword carefully on her bed before she headed towards the sliding doors that led outside.

"_Going out without me?" _came her zanpakutou's voice.

She looked back in surprise. It was unusual for her zanpakutou to initiate conversation. "Only outside," she assured her. "To the gardens."

"_Don't you want company?"_

Rukia hid a smile. If her zanpakutou had manifested herself right then, Rukia was sure that she would see her very much affronted companion looking at her. "Not tonight," she replied gently.

"_Don't you want to do some training to achieve bankai? You haven't done that in awhile."_

"Tempting," she conceded, "but not tonight, and certainly not on Kuchiki grounds."

_A sigh._

"I won't be far and I'll be perfectly safe," she stated gently. "I'll be back in no time."

_A sniff. "You've said that before."_

She rolled her eyes. After over fifty years, Sode no Shirayuki still continued to bring up what she considered to be her "abandonment" during the months when her shinigami powers had been virtually drained. "I promise," she said solemnly.

"_Alright, then,"_ she replied forlornly.

Rukia bit her lip to keep it from curving. There were times when her zanpakutou could be such a drama queen. She wondered where she got it from.

"_One thing, though," _she called out just as Rukia was about to step out to the terrace.

She paused and tilted her head.

"_Do you really think Byakuya could freeze you faster than I could?"_ she asked, referring to Kiyone's comment that morning.

"Very funny," Rukia muttered before throwing her a dirty look and sliding the door close. Behind her, she could still hear the laughter stemming from her zanpakutou's warped sense of humor. She had to wonder where her zanpakutou got that one.

A walk in the garden might do her good before the bath after all.

Of course, to refer to the Kuchiki gardens as just a garden seemed to be a vast understatement to her. The rows of trees and flowers and shrubs carefully picked by the past Kuchikis stretched out as far as the eye could see. At some point, the gardens merged with the woods in the Kuchiki grounds.

She breathed in deeply, taking in the night air. There was a little-known path that led from the woods to the garden and into the Kuchiki property. It was that path she had wanted to take to get into her rooms as unobtrusively as possible. Stretching her arms and yawning, she hopped down from the terrace of her room and into the ground.

She hadn't been to her favorite spot in a long time and there was a tall cherry blossom tree with a sturdy branch calling her name.

* * *

It was late by the time Byakuya arrived at the main house. He could have arrived earlier, but he had decided to take his time after encountering Yoruichi. Besides, there had been no need to hurry. The main house was not expecting him as he had informed them that he would be staying at the sixth division headquarters that night. Once his plans had changed, he had not bothered to send word. The way he felt, tolerating the company of the Kuchiki servants that night as they waited on him, would have grated on his nerves. In fact, there were times when being with other Kuchikis was more of a…burden than anything else. Being alone suited him well tonight. Most of the time, he quite preferred it that way. And tonight was like most nights. 

Except, he was not alone.

Maybe it was because his mind had been preoccupied by the events of the day that he failed to notice her presence until he was almost upon her. It wasn't often that he was caught unawares so many times in a row. From Retsu Unohana to the Commander-General and from Ichigo Kurosaki to Yoruichi Shihouin, he should have expected that the topic of all his discussions would in some way come to surprise him as well before the end of the day. And so while he walked through the gardens of the Kuchiki main grounds, his eyes widened in surprise when he felt her unexpected presence. With a quick glance above, he caught sight of the small figure currently gazing up to the moon and the stars as she sat casually atop one of the branches of a cherry blossom tree.

"Rukia," he mouthed unconsciously, the word escaping his lips before he thought better of it. He said her name softly, in a low enough voice that he had not expected her to hear it.

Except somehow she did, and it reminded him of that long ago morning when he first laid eyes upon the girl who was Hisana's sister. He had called out Hisana's name that time, too, only to have the girl look up as if she heard him—which, of course, had been more than impossible given his position from one of the towers of the Academy.

He could see the look of shock that was etched in her features as she scrambled to regain the balance that she had almost lost upon hearing her name called out. She jumped down awkwardly from the branch she was perched upon and looked up at him with embarrassment in her eyes. "Byakuya-sama!" she said, her words sounding carefully deliberate even to his ears. She looked around her and beyond him before meeting his eyes once more. "The servants told me that…I had thought that you would not be coming home tonight," she said almost accusingly. As if she noted the tone of her voice, she winced apologetically and said in a hesitating voice, "Welcome home, Byakuya-sama."

_Welcome home._

Strange how a few words spoken under the moonlight had a way of lingering in the air like an echo in one's mind.

_It will be Hisana's as well._

Whether he wanted them to or not.

"Rukia," he said once again, noting the bowed head of his now betrothed. She always seemed to find something fascinating to stare at on the ground whenever he was around.

"Yes, Nii—Byakuya-sama?" she asked, finally giving him a sideways glance.

He could see her biting her lip in consternation for some reason or another. He could have inquired about that look she had at the moment. But he had a feeling that it was inconsequential. He could have asked her then how her day was. That was what typical families normally did, after all. But something else came to his mind when the wind blew a familiar metallic scent under his nose and Rukia stepped forward more into the moonlight.

"You are injured," he stated abruptly, his eyes zeroing on the splatter against the white fabric underneath her black shinigami robes.

"Huh?" was her seemingly dumbfounded reply before giving him a perplexed look.

With only the moonlight to help his eyes, he could hardly make out the color of the stain. But the scent of blood was unmistakable.

And quite unexplainable given that he knew perfectly well that Rukia was supposed to have been finishing up paperwork at the thirteenth division headquarters instead of traipsing around and getting herself injured. At least, that was what Ukitake had laughingly told him was in store for his vice-captain last night.

"Injured?" she repeated, looking up at him curiously.

Instead of replying, his eyes stared at the spot of dried blood on her clothes again. It was splattered just at the vee of robes.

Following the path of his gaze, Rukia's eyes glanced down to finally see the object of his statement.

"Oh this?" she laughed nervously, her face flushing while she uselessly rubbed the spot as if it would somehow disappear. "It's nothing. Not from anything that could remotely be considered an injury at all!"

He lifted a brow at her response and remained silent. He could almost feel the heat of embarrassment emanating from her as she flinched and garbled some sort of explanation and apology at the same time.

He looked at her closely.

An apology?

"Quite sorry," she continued, "at not being very presentable. I haven't really had a chance to—"

"Rukia," he said patiently, "why do you apologize?"

She gave him a confused look. Her mouth opened and closed, only to open again, and then close. Perhaps it wasn't quite surprising that for the second time that day, Rukia reminded him of a fish out of water.

* * *

_I'm sorry,_ she had meant to say again. She grimaced. Of course, that made no sense at all. She was sorry for being sorry? She mentally slapped herself. Why did she always felt like apologizing around his presence? She hadn't done anything wrong. 

At least, not this time.

Well, okay, so maybe she shouldn't have been so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't even notice him until he called her name. That seemed to be the theme tonight. First Karin and now Nii—Byakuya-sama.

_Byakuya-sama, Byakuya-sama, Byakuya-sama._

She _will _get this.

Eventually.

Looking up at the inquiring gaze of her now betrothed, she wondered how long it has been since he'd asked his question.

_Get it together, Rukia!_

"I…I…" she stuttered, silently cursing her inability to form some sort of coherent response. Because what _could _she say that wouldn't give offense? _I'm sorry, Nii-sama, but I feel like apologizing whenever you're around? _She frowned. She could just imaging what Kukaku-dono would say if she—

_What's with that wimpy look on your face?_

She flinched, hearing Kukaku-dono's voice in her head.

_If being engaged to Byakuya makes you this wimpy—_

She was NOT wimpy.

_Why do you always wimp out whenever Byakuya Kuchiki or the rest of those Kuchikis ask something from you?_

_Et tu_, Kiyone?

_You're like putty in their hands!_

Ugh.

She looked up at her fiancé's face and cleared her throat. "You…"

_They say 'jump!' and you say 'how high?' _

She shook her head. "You startled me," she said, quietly proud of her steady voice. "And I apologized for…" for what exactly? She wracked her brain for a reason before continuing, "for not being able to greet you in a proper manner." Because it was partially the truth. It had been drilled to her to look presentable and neat at all times. Hadn't the advisors spent weeks training her regarding the proper etiquette among the nobility? She remembered how much they emphasized how she was supposed to carry herself with dignity and grace at all times. Except in battle, there was no excuse for an unkempt appearance.

"A proper manner?" he repeated.

Maybe that sounded too formal? He was her betrothed, after all. But if that was too formal, then how was she supposed to know if there was a new way, a different way, of interacting with her brother?

_Fiancé_, that is!

Oh bother!

How was she supposed to say, _Sorry I couldn't greet you without blood on my clothes?_ Or _Sorry I'm a little bit messy tonight as I haven't had a chance to take advantage of that wonderful bath, no doubt prepared for me already, and make myself presentable?_

She knew, _knew, _that she shouldn't have lingered long in the garden. Damn Karin and her ideas about Ichigo anyway. That was what distracted her into sitting on that branch for far too long and daydreaming in the first place!

"I did not realize that there was a proper manner required for our greeting," he stated.

She looked at him, a little flabbergasted.

Of course there was a proper manner in which she was supposed to greet him! Sanada Kuchiki had been very specific years ago about—

"I meant that this is not a meeting between two members of the Gotei 13," he clarified when he saw what must have been a look of askance on her face, "where protocols are observed."

She gritted her teeth. Was he being obtuse? "As the head of the clan," she began, "you deserve the proper respect and—"

"You remind me of Sanada," he told her, "when you recite his words verbatim."

She looked at him closely. Who the hell was this man and where was her bro—betrothed?!

"I'm not sure what you mean to imply," she said the words carefully.

He gave her what she would have called a disgruntled look had it not been for the fact that he was Byakuya Kuchiki. As such, she could only call it a look of…impatience?

"Only that you are to be my wife," he stated softly, "except for some reason, you behave like you're one of the servants."

* * *

And she did. Act like a servant, that is. 

He wondered why he never noticed it before. The careful way she deferred to him and oftentimes looked away to avoid meeting his eyes was almost an exact copy of the way the servants behaved. Of course, the truth of the matter was, it was also how most of the Kuchikis behaved with the exception of the advisors. So in one sense, she behaved just like any other Kuchiki—and that was unacceptable.

It was unacceptable before, as she was his adopted sister and therefore a part of the head family, and was even more unacceptable now that she was his betrothed.

She looked up at him quickly with what, for a moment, was an indignant expression before it was carefully masked to reveal nothing at all. He watched her mouth form a grim line while her hands busied themselves by playing with the pleats on her hakama with careful deliberation. "I'm sure that I don't know what you mean," she replied with a slight bite to her voice.

He blinked, surprised at the edge in her tone. He wasn't sure whether he should be pleased or perturbed by it. "I am merely stating an observation, Rukia," he returned. "You are a part of the head family and as such—"

"And as such should behave in a manner that is befitting the name I now carry," she finished for him, reciting a phrase he was more than familiar with.

Strangely enough, that wasn't quite what he had intended to say.

"A Kuchiki, especially one who is part of the head family," she continued, "must always set an example to those around her. She must be—"

"I know the rest," he interrupted her, afraid that she would actually take the time to repeat all the rules of etiquette to him. "However, Rukia, that does not change the fact you were adopted by the main family and yet your behavior is that of someone who is of lower rank." And it had to stop. Because, the more he thought about it, the more Yoruichi's words brought back the past.

_How long did it take before Hisana succumbed?_

He remembered the Hisana who was full of life when he had first met her, and he remembered the Hisana he knew just before she died. The stark contrast between the woman he met and married and the woman who died in his arms was enough of a source of guilt to last him all his shinigami lifetime.

He had remembered being at a loss when he first noticed the change in his wife in their marriage. He had ignored it for the most part as he had found that Hisana felt uncomfortable discussing the matter with him. He had deferred to his wife's wishes then and there wasn't a moment now that he did not regret his actions.

_What…what makes you think she'll be any happier as your wife?_

What made him think that indeed? What made him agree to his advisors' suggestions? What made him accept this betrothal?

_Promise me, Byakuya-sama. Find her…protect her._

"This has never been an issue before," Rukia's voice reached him.

"No, it has not," he agreed. And he wondered if it would have been an issue at this very moment had it not been for Yoruichi or Kurosaki's needling voice echoing in his head. "I had hoped that in time you would grow more comfortable in your position as a Kuchiki and act accordingly; however, given the circumstances, it would be more prudent if you would…grow comfortable more quickly."

"Please forgive me if my next words seem impertinent, but," she took a deep breath, "what exactly does that mean?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He could see her hands clenching and unclenching as she talked to him, her eyes displaying more life in his presence than he could ever remember. The only times he'd ever seen those eyes were when she was with her friends or her division—and quite unaware of his presence.

"It means, Rukia, that I would need for you to…" _to not remind him too much of Hisana those last few months_…"be…more…assertive."

"More…assertive," she repeated with her eyes wide as she stared at him blankly.

He searched for the more appropriate words. What exactly did he need her to be? The truth of the matter was, Rukia _was_ assertive. And dictatorial. And confident. That is, she was all those things when she was outside the Kuchiki main house or outside his sphere of influence. He was more than aware of the differences in his adopted sister's behavior than anyone else. He never really gave it much thought before. As he had said, he had expected her to eventually be as comfortable with the Kuchikis as she was with her division. He had thought it a matter of time. Granted, it had already been over a century, but still...he was a patient man.

"As my wife," he began, attempting to organize his thoughts. He had not been expecting to have this conversation with Rukia this very night and he was at a loss as to how to begin. "As my wife," he reiterated, "I would hope that you would feel more at ease with the family." He looked at her closely. "We _are _your family, Rukia."

"I am quite aware of that," she replied dryly.

The wind rustled and he watched her tuck several stray hairs behind her ear. She wore it a little longer now from whence he had first met her. He wasn't quite sure when she had started doing so, but he remembered the day he first noticed it.

"Are you?" he asked thoughtfully. And he asked because he knew that, in more ways than one, the Rukia who stood before him now was the same girl who stood before him when she was first adopted in the clan. Inside the walls of the Kuchiki grounds, Rukia Kuchiki never changed from the unsure girl that had been adopted into a noble family.

"Yes," she said with a hint of what could be a bittersweet smile curving her lips. "I could hardly _not _be aware of it after all these years." She gasped and looked up at him abruptly, almost as if she just heard what she had just said. "And I meant that in the most…" she bit her lip as her eyes widened, "the most…grateful…"

"Have we been too much trouble for you, Rukia?" he asked suddenly and, he was sure, catching her unaware. Those were the few times when the carefully pasted look of placidity in her face seemed to crack, revealing a more honest Rukia before him.

"No!" came her immediate denial while her eyes stared at him in askance. "Your family has been more than kind—"

"They're your family, too," he reminded her gently.

"Yes, but," she began to protest.

"Rukia," he interrupted, "there are no exceptions. The Kuchikis are your family."

"Yes, but— "

He gave her a look.

"I was adopted," she stated hurriedly, apologetically. "There's a difference."

"After over a century of living under this family's rules, after over a century of living in the main house and abiding by the family wishes, how could you say that there is a difference?" he asked, all the while hearing Yoruichi's voice in his head.

"_You know what I meant, just as you know there's a difference."_

She looked away from him before replying. "Byakuya-sama," her voice floated to him, "please do not insult my intelligence. If there had been no difference, then rules would not have been broken when I was adopted into this family. I am perfectly aware of the sacrifices you've made—"

"Sacrifices?" he echoed. "And what sacrifices would those be?" he asked curiously.

She gave him a look of dismay and seemed to struggle before she could say the next words. "I know what a burden I have been to—"

He raised a hand up as a signal for her to stop whatever she was about to say. A burden? "Rukia," he said carefully, "if I have treated you as such, then I will apologize. It was never my intention to have you feel—" he stopped abruptly when he noticed her vigorously shaking head…as well as the placement of her palm against his mouth.

* * *

She had overreacted. 

She couldn't, just _couldn't_, let him apologize to her.

All she wanted to do was stop him from further saying anything else that would make her feel worse about this whole situation. A word would have done it, she was sure. Instead, she had overreacted and found herself actually on her tiptoes attempting to physically stop him from speaking like it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

And it was—when she was dealing with Renji or Ichigo or any one of the shinigamis in the thirteenth division. She would have been in their face both physically and verbally when she wanted or demanded something. That her usually _physical _reaction would kick in while in the presence of her brother was…obviously enough to render both her and Byakuya-sama speechless.

She must be tired. Exhausted even. And perhaps not in the right frame of mind. In that moment that lasted forever in her mind, she watched with something very close to horror as his eyes widened in surprise. Her gaze traveled down to her offending hand before she quickly snatched it away from its resting place against his lips. Her fingers curled up like balls as she drew both hands behind her as she closed her eyes in mortification and hoped against hope that this was all a dream.

She swallowed convulsively and stepped back in an attempt to place as much distance as she could between them. "I…" she began, searching for the words that might explain her actions. "That is…please don't apologize," she said softly. "Your family has done me great honor in adopting me into your clan." Without hearing a response from him, she dared to finally take a peek. She found him looking at her contemplatively with a frown on his face and a stillness that felt eerie even for him.

His eyes followed her slow retreat before looking away as he shook his head in a somewhat resigned manner. "This is the last time I will repeat myself regarding this matter," he finally said. "You are a member of the household as I am." He gave her a sideways glance. "And like me, your acquiescence to the wishes of the family is a way of fulfilling your familial duty. Don't you think that allowing yourself to be manipulated into this wedding just as I am puts us on equal footing?"

"Manipulated?" she reiterated, more confused than ever. "Sanada-san said…"

He looked up to the moon. "I've made a promise to myself a long time ago," he continued, ignoring her words, "that I would never again lie to you."

She went still, thinking back to the time in Soukyoku Hill, when her brother first told her of her sister, Hisana. She'd held his hand with her head bowed as she listened to his tale, her heart racing at how close…so close she had been at having a real family.

"You should know," he stated, still not looking at her, "you should know what this marriage is about."

She licked her lips. "Sanada-san said that…"

"Ah yes," he sighed slowly. "Sanada Kuchiki had a lot to say yesterday, did he not?" He turned to face her. "What he failed to mention was an arrangement that had currently been in progress between Kukaku Shiba and Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai."

She tilted her head to the side, unsure of where this was going.

"It would seem that an alliance between the Kuchiki and Shiba clan was in the works," he informed her promptly. He looked at her closely, as if awaiting a response.

She looked at him blankly.

"Rukia, they were arranging a marriage between you and Ganju Shiba," he told her gently.

Her eyes, she was sure, must have rounded like huge saucers as she gaped at him. As many people as she had rendered speechless that day with her confirmation of her engagement, she had never thought that she would be at the receiving end of a more shocking news than the one she had delivered.

"That's impossible!" the words were out of her mouth before she thought better of it. She could feel her blood rush to her head and a slight dizzying feel suffused her body. "Kukaku-dono made no mention of such an arrangement!" And she would have. She most certainly would have, wouldn't she? Especially today, when she poured out her doubts and her fears regarding the upcoming union.

"I understand that this might come as a surprise to you," he spoke softly, as if to a child. "But I believed it best that you know at least some of the background behind Sanada Kuchiki's insistence on this marriage."

Marriage to Ganju Shiba? To be a part of the Shiba clan? Kukaku-dono's clan? _Kaien-dono's_ clan? Her breath hitched at the thought of that long-ago impossible dream.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," she said quietly, her emotions so barely held in check that she could feel herself shaking. She had to focus with what was being discussed at hand and ignore the way her heart raced a trip-hammer beat.

She took a deep breath. If a marriage between her and Ganju were in the works, why wouldn't Kukaku-dono have mentioned to it to her? And what did that have to do with Sanada Kuchiki's insistence on a marriage between her and Nii-sama?

"Sanada wanted to avoid a marriage between the Shibas and our clan at any cost," he told her bluntly. "Our betrothal was the quickest and most efficient way of thwarting Captain Yamamoto-Genryusai's plans with the Shibas."

"I don't understand," she repeated plaintively this time. Because she didn't understand. Why did Sanada Kuchiki care if she married a Shiba? Surely that should have been her decision?

"It is ancient history," he replied. "Or at least it is ancient history to everyone except Sanada Kuchiki. The details are unimportant, but needless to say, it would not be unheard of for Sanada to do everything in his power to prevent an alliance with the Shibas." He stopped and looked at her closely.

And try as she might, she couldn't prevent the look of disillusionment that must have shown in her eyes.

"What do you think of being a Kuchiki now, Rukia?" he asked quietly.

What could she think? What could she say? How did she respond to that?

"Are you saying that all of this talk," she began slowly, "about doing what's best for the Kuchiki clan…" She looked up at him, her mouth forming a grim line. "All this talk is nothing more than that? Just talk?" She searched his eyes for a response. "Our lives are being dictated to and turned upside down for nothing?"

"Oh I am absolutely certain that Sanada believes that the marriage between us is what is best for the Kuchiki clan," he told her, "out of all the other options presented," he qualified.

"So this marriage…" she could feel herself going numb, "is just…the lesser of two evils."

"That is one way of looking at it," he confirmed.

She almost choked.

"I see," she replied tonelessly.

And she did.

Finally.

All the jumble of emotions she had felt for the past twenty-four hours…all the agonizing moments over her decision to perform her familial duty…all the soul-searching she had been forced to endure…

It was all for the comfort of Sanada Kuchiki—a man who barely tolerated her existence within the Kuchiki clan.

She felt nauseated.

"When did you know about this?" she asked with as much detachment as she could muster given the circumstances. She knew she failed, however, when she noticed his concerned look. She could feel herself flinching from the pity in his eyes.

"I was told about it this morning by the first division captain," he informed her carefully, watching her with those oh-so-observant eyes of his.

She wasn't sure if she believed him. How could he not know something so important, something so life-altering for both of them?

"I can see that you have trouble believing me," he stated matter-of-factly.

She worried her dry lips and tried to look anywhere but towards him. He would see the doubt in her eyes and she was afraid…she was afraid that he might see it as an insult. After all, to doubt the word of a Kuchiki, especially one Byakuya Kuchiki, was quite unheard of.

"I assure you," he continued, "that until late this morning, I was as much in the dark regarding this whole matter as you were. Else I would not have…" his voice trailed off.

And she was curious enough to look back and wonder what he had been about to say. She found his eyes resting intently upon her. Else he wouldn't have what? Agreed to marry her? Consented to this whole arrangement?

"But what's done is done," he said with a hint of finality. "By now, I expect that the news of our betrothal has reached most, if not all, of Soul Society. Noble wedding announcements seem to spread like wildfire in our world."

She almost gave a wry laugh at that understatement, but her mind was focused on his previous words. If he had known of the first division captain's plans, what would he have done? If he had known of Sanada Kuchiki's motives from the beginning, how would this have been resolved? Throwing prudence to the wind, she asked shortly, "You wouldn't have what?" She swallowed and cleared her throat. "If you had known about this from the beginning, what wouldn't you have done?"

* * *

_I would not have let Sanada place undue pressure upon you._

_I would have given you the time to make the decision about the Shiba clan._

_I would have given you the choice._

He stared at her inquiring eyes, noting the barely banked fire within them. "Nothing that can be done now," he replied instead, tossing aside the multitude of scenarios that were now more than impossible. "The situation is what it is," he stated, looking away from her and up at the moon. "It would be pointless to discuss what-would-have-beens."

"But of course," she said quickly, too quickly.

He peered at her from his height and saw her bowed head and clenched fists.

"You are absolutely correct," she whispered softly, as if to herself. She gave a small, forced laugh. "Ichigo would say that…" she stopped abruptly, shaking her head.

He raised a brow.

What would Ichigo Kurosaki have said?

She raised her head and met his questioning look. She bit her lip. "He would have said that…that it's no use crying over spilt milk."

"One of his human expressions?" he asked dryly.

"Yes," she answered steadily. "It means that—"

"I can surmise what it means," he interrupted, giving her a sideways glance. He wondered what made her think of Kurosaki at this time.

"Yes, well," she sighed, as if the weight of all Seireitei rested upon her shoulders. She looked past him, the tension in her shoulders looking worse than before.

He wondered what part he played in adding to her burdens. And he wondered if letting her know the truth was the best thing he could have done for her at that point. Perhaps the kinder act would have been to let her live in ignorance and allow her the false sense of accomplishment for having fulfilled her duty to the Kuchikis.

Come to think of it, why _didn't _he keep Sanada's plans to himself? It would have been quite easy to refrain from saying anything and let sleeping dogs lie. Despite his promise to himself never to lie to her, keeping a few details to himself would have been as simple as just walking away. Except, it would have meant risking the chance that she would find out some other way. While he was fairly certain that Sanada Kuchiki would not broach the subject with Rukia, the same could not be said regarding the Shiba clan. And to be honest, he was quite surprised that Kukaku Shiba had failed to even hint at the arrangement during her time with Rukia. Who would have thought that that woman could keep a secret?

"It's…" Rukia's voice floated towards him, "it's getting late." She let out a small laugh. "Rather it _is _late." Her hands again made the nervous gesture of smoothing the pleats from her hakama. "Captain Unohana will be cross if she finds out I stayed out too late before our meeting tomorrow."

He raised one brow at her attempt to excuse herself from his presence. "Of course," he replied in measuring tones. "I understand that she will be guiding you through this process."

She nodded hesitatingly. "Captain Ukitake has kindly asked for her help in the matter," she explained. "And as I did not want to bother Sanada-san, it seemed more prudent to accept her generous offer."

"That was…thoughtful of your captain," he said almost tersely, all the while wondering why he found it disturbing that Rukia would find the help of others more to her liking than those of the Kuchikis. "Captain Unohana is a very good source of information."

Again, she nodded. With downcast eyes, she bowed slightly before turning to leave.

And again, as in this morning, he wondered whether he should say something. Anything at all to help her in any way he could. He, more than anyone, knew the pressures that came with being a part of the Kuchiki clan. He, more than anyone, knew what it was to make sacrifices for the family. And it was he, more than anyone, who knew what it was like to be in her situation…the situation that he himself was in.

As he watched her walk away from him, her demeanor as solemn as it had always been, the voices found their way to him again, wrapping him in their intensity.

_Find her. Protect her._

_It won't be only be me, or Ichigo, or anyone of Rukia's friends whose judgment you'll have to face._

_It will be Hisana's as well._

Hisana.

And before he knew it, he took a step forward and his arm reached out to grab hold of—

* * *

Her hand. It felt warm. 

"Rukia," his voice came from behind her, reaching her ears as she felt his hand clasp around her and pull her back slightly.

She jumped, more from the touch of his hand on hers than any real surprise, and turned to look back at him with what she was certain were startled eyes.

The touch of his fingers on hers was hot…surprising given that she had always associated him with the cold countenance of the moon. Or perhaps it was warm because she felt so very cold. She could feel Sode no Shirayuki calling to her, offering her comfort in her wintry embrace ever since she heard the news about Sanada and the Shiba clan. Her zanpakutou knew her too well, knew when she would have welcomed someone to cry to.

But all her focus and the cold feel of her zanpakutou faded at the warmth that emanated from the hand that held hers. It spread across her arm and all over that even her face felt flushed. She looked at their hands and noticed that her fingers had curled to clasp his as well.

"Bya-Byakuya-sama?" she whispered softly in question before finally looking up at him.

She flinched from the intensity of his gaze and instinctively tried to pull away.

"Rukia," he said again, his fingers tightening slightly in response.

"Yes, Byakuya-sama?" she asked, her voice holding steady.

She watched as he seemed to grind his teeth before continuing.

"Rukia…is this situation…is it something to cry about? Like…spilt milk?" he asked, his words feeling like they stumbled forth without his consent.

She blinked. "No," she replied hurriedly, looking up at him earnestly. "Of course not, Byakuya-sama. It's…it's an…honor to be wed to the head of the Kuchiki clan. It is an honor to be even considered..." she felt her voice fade away. Had she just insulted him awhile ago? Did he think that she thought of their situation as something as…as…as inane as spilt milk?

"Rukia," his voice was low, with a hint of urgency. "There's not much time before the _yui-no,_" he told her.

"Yes, I know," she replied nervously, her mind racing as to where this conversation was heading.

"There's…" his voice seemed to fade.

* * *

_There still time, _he had wanted to say. 

_Time to think._

_Time to assess._

_Time to…maybe…change your mind._

The consequences would be great, yes. She would be ostracized as an oath breaker.

But…would those consequences be the lesser of two evils? In the long run, would she be happier, as Kurosaki had implied? Would that be what was best for her? If he knew for certain, then he could act. If he knew what the future would bring, then he could tell her what would be best.

_Find her. Protect her._

But he didn't know for certain and the future was something he could never predict…at least not with all the variables at hand. And so, words failed him and he struggled to find the right phrase…the appropriate phrase to say. And in the end, he said something that meant nothing.

He wondered if she'd hate him for it later.

"Rest well this evening, then," he said softly.

Because he certainly began to hate himself at that moment.

"Yes, of course," she answered, her eyes…disappointed?

She looked down at their hands and his eyes followed her gaze. Slowly, he let his fingers slide away, felt her hold on him slacken as his hand withdrew from hers.

"Have a…good evening, Nii—Byakuya-sama," she said formally before finally, finally walking away.

If he'd had less discipline, he would have cursed under his breath as he watched her retreating form. He had a feeling that it was a sight he would need to get used to in the coming months.

* * *

To be continued.

* * *

More author's notes: Happy New Year to everyone! I'd like to thank you all for your very wonderful reviews of this story as well as your patience for this next chapter. Your kind words have warmed my heart this holiday season. 


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